i^ll^iliiiiiSi^^ 





Qass. 

Book J 49 



1 



FORTY YEARS 



A GAMBLER 



ON THE 



MISSISSIPPI 



< 

BY / ] 



GEORGE H. DEYOL. 



A CABIN BOY IN 1839; COULD STEAL CARDS AND CHEAT THE BOYS 

AT ELEVEN ; STOCK A DECK AT FOURTEEN ; BESTED SOLDIERS ON ^ 

THE RIO GRANDE DURING THE MEXICAN WAR ; WON HUNDREDS 
OF THOUSANDS FROM PAYMASTERS, COTTON BUYERS, DEFAULT- 
ERS, AND THIEVES ; FOUGHT MORE ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE FIGHTS ; 
THAN ANY MAN IN AMERICA, AND WAS THE MOST DARING GAM- ' 
BLER IN THE WORLD. ] 



^ ' ILLUSTRATED. 



,.,OfC 3118 

FIRST EDITION. \^> r"S ^^ ^' 



1^' A%u 



Entered according to Act of Congress, the 6th day of October, 1887, by 

DEVOL & HAINES, 

In the oftlce o^ the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. 

[All richts reservku.] 



PREFACE. 



npHE author of this book has written the stories as they would 
■*■ recur to his memory, and no effort has been made at classifi- 
cation. They are not fictitious ; many of the persons named are 
now living, and they can and will testify that the stories are founded 
on facts. 

He belongs to the celebrated Devol family of Marietta. His 
grandfather, Jonathan Devol, was an officer in the Revolutionary 
War, and was well known to the pioneer history of Ohio. He 
was one of the passengers on the Mayflower, which he constructed 
for the use of the first company of emigrants to Ohio. He erected 
a house on the Campus Martius in 1788, and was joined by his 
wife and six children in December of that year. He was one of 
the committee to explore the country in search of suitable places 
for mills and farming settlements. In 1791 he repaired to Belpre 
with his family. He succeeded in clearing a patch of land, and 
built a log cabin not far below the house of Captain William Dorce. 
The news of the Big Bottom massacre reached him while attend- 
ing court at Marietta, and he hurried home, Mrs. Devol, hearing 
that the Indians were on the war-path, ordered the children to lie 
down with their clothes on, ready for the danger signal. He 
became famous by building the floating mill. In 1792 he built a 
twelve-oared barge of twenty-five tons burden for Captain Putnam. 
The author's father was Barker Devol, who died at Carrollton, Ky., 
on the 8th day of March, 1871, at the age of 85. He was a ship- 
builder, and worked with his father at Marietta. He left a widow 
and six children, who are all living, except one, the youngest being 
George H. Devol. 

The Author. 




SSSSjSS"-' 



• p>'- 



CONTENTS. 



PACK. 

A Religious Captain mtm 22 

A Cold Deck 24 

A Woman With a Gun 27 

A Shrewd Trick 250 

A Paymaster's Bluff. jb^ 

A Crazy Man 177 

A Good Night's Work 186 

A Euchre Hand 212 

A Good Stake-Holder 217 

A Mile Dash 224 

An Honorable Man 227 

A Bull Fight 249 

A Duck Hunt 264 

A Hard Head 267 

A Square Game 291 

A Coward 292 

Ancient Gambling 296 

Boyhood Days 9 

Blowing Up of the Princess 26 

Beat a Good Hand 63 

Butler in New Orleans iig 

Broke a Snap Game 129 

Before Breakfast 201 

Bill Would Gamble 206 

Bill's Present 213 

Caught a Sleeper '24 

Collared the Wrong Man 34^ 

Called a Gambler 86 

Control Over Suckers 88 

Caught Again 104 

Caught a Whale 114 

Caught a Defaulter 168 

Canada Bill. 190 

Close Calls 211 

Cheap Jewelry 237 

Cold Steel 271 

Didn't Win the Bags 52 

Don't Dye Your Whiskers 84 

Didn't Win the Key 96 

Dicky Roach and 1 193 

Detectives and Watches 240 

Even the Judges Do It 154 

Eight Hundred Dollars Against a Pistol., 177 

(5) 



Vi CONTENTS. 



PAGB. 



Fifty to the Barkeeper 43 

Fight With a Longshoreman 83 

Foot Race 203 

Forty Miles an Hour 204 

Fights 242 

Got Up Too Soon 133 

Got Off Between Stations 183 

Good Luck 215 

Governor Pinchback 216 

General Remarks 294 

George, the Butter 299 

Home Again.. 13 

Hard Boiled Eggs 55 

He Knew My Hand 136 

Her Eyes Were Opened 137 

He Never Knew 142 

He's One of Us 170 

How I Was Beat 180 

He's Not That Old 188 

Indians Can Play Poker 20 

It Made a Man of Him 58 

1 Had Friends • 146 

It Was Cold 179 

I Raised the Limit 182 

It Shook the Checks 152 

Jew vs. Jew 62 

Judge Devol 72 

Knocked Down $300 194 

Kickers 282 

Leaving Home 10 

Leap for Life 29 

Lost His Wife's Diamonds 44 

Lucky at Poker loi 

Lacked the Nerve 109 

Left in Time 254 

My First Keno 17 

My Jew Partner 35 

My First Love 65 

Marked Cards 68 

My Crooked Partner 69 

My Partner Alexander 73 

Married His Money 79 

My Cards 182 

My Little Partner 107 

Mules for Luck 151 

My Visit to Old Bill 196 

Monumental Gall 208 



CONTENTS. Vll 

PACK. 

Mule Thieves 226 

My Partner Won 229 

McCoole and Coburn 231 

Mobile 261 

Now a Gambler 16 

Nipped in the Bud 89 

No Play On This Boat I55 

No Money in Law 160 

Narrow Escapes I75 

No Good at Short Cards 207 

On the Circuit 255 

Put Ashore for Fighting 11 

Pittsburg's Best Man 5° 

"Pranking" With a New Game 164 

Posing as Nic Longworth's Son 172 

Quick Work 265 

Red and Black 140 

Rattlesnake Jack 272 

Reduced the Price 293 

Saved My Partner's Life 28 

Sold Out by a Partner 37 

"Snap Games" 5^ 

Sinking of the Belle Zane 60 

Snaked the Wheel iii 

Stolen Money 131 

Signal Service 132 

Settled Our Hash 181 

She Kissed Me 219 

Salted Down 232 

Strategem 258 

Saved By His Wife 269 

"Short Stops" 280 

The Game of Rondo '4 

Ten Thousand in Counterfeit Money 25 

The Frenchman and the Horse Hair 28 

The Chicken Men and Their Silver 31 

The Hungry Man 32 

The Big Catfish 39 

The Sermon on the (Mount) Boat 41 

The Monte King 45 

The Daguerreotype Boat 49 

The Black Deck-Hand 53 

The Guergunsen Watch 57 

The Cotton Man 59 

Taught a Lesson ^° 

They Paid the Costs o3 

The Boys From Texas "" 



Vlll CONTENTS . 



PAGK. 



The Quadroon Girl ,,,,,, 75 

The Captain Spoiled the Game 76 

Too Sick to Fight 78 

The Gambler Disguised yS 

The Best Looking Sucker 81 

The Alligators 87 

The Big Sucker 90 

The Crazy Man 93 

The Brilliant Stone 99 

The Hidden Hand 103 

The Three Fives iii 

The Killer 112 

The Deck-Hand 115 

The Black (Leg) Cavalry 116 

The Paymaster's $3.500 121 

The U. S. Dectective's Bluff 122 

The Young Man From New York 125 

The Yellow Jeans 135 

The Jack Fish 139 

The Black Man 144 

The Persuader , 146 

The Lap-Robe 148 

The Preacher Away From Home 148 

The Cattle Buyer 152 

The Green Cow-Boy 156 

The Police Signal 162 

The Good Deacon ■ 173 

The Natchez and the Lee 191 

The Trick Knife 219 

Two Forty on the Shell Road 221 

The Arkansas Killers 235 

The Englishman and His Gun 245 

Traveling Keno h 247 

The Two Judges 287 

Tapped the Till 291 

War With Mexico ^ 12 

Was in With the Judge 97 

Won and Lost 239 

With a Poker 253 

William Jones (Canada Bill) 285 



Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi. 



BOYHOOD DAYS. 

"I'll serve his youth, for youth must have hispourse, 
For being restrained it makes him ten times worse ; 
His pride, his riot, all that may be named, 
Time may recall, and all his madness tamed." 

My Dear Reader : I first saw the light of day in a 
little town called Marietta, at the mouth of the Muskingum 
River in the State of Ohio, on the first day of August, 1829. 
I was the youngest of six children, and was the pet of the 
family. My father was a ship carpenter, and worked at 
boat-building in the beginning of the present century. I 
had good opportunities to secure an early education, as 
we had good schools in the West at that time. I had very 
little liking for books, and much less for school. When my 
parents thought me at school, I was playing "hookey" 
with other boys, running about the river, kicking foot-ball, 
playing " shinny on your own side," and having a fight 
nearly every day. I hardly ever went home that I did not 
have my face all scratched up from having been in a fight, 
which innocent amusement I loved much better than school. 
When I was hardly ten years of age, I would carry stones 
in my pocket and tackle the school teachers if they attempted 
to whip me. My father was away from home at his work 
most of the time, and my mother (God bless her dear old 
soul) could not manage me. She has often called in some 
passer-by to help her punish me. I can now see I richly 
deserved all the punishment I ever received, and more too. 
When there was company at our house, and my mother 

[9] 



\ I 



lO FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

would be busy preparing a meal, I would get my bow and 
arrows and shoot the cups off from the table, and then run 
away- I guess I was about the worst boy of my age west of 
the Allegheny Mountains that was born of good Christian 
parents. I have often heard the good old church members 
say . *' That boy will be hung if he lives to be twenty years 
old." But I have fooled them, and am still on the turf, 
although I have had some pretty close calls, as you will see 
by reading this book. 

LEAVING HOME. 

In the year 1839, while at the river one day, I saw 
a steamer lying at the wharf-boat by the name of 
Wacousia. The first steward said I could ship as a cabin 
boy at $4 per month. I thought this a great opportunity, 
so when the boat backed out I was on board without saying 
anything to my parents or any one else. My first duty 
was to scour knives. I knew they would stand no foolish- 
ness, so at it I went, and worked like a little trooper, and 
by so doing I gained the good will of the steward. At night 
I was told to get a mattress and sleep on the floor of the 
cabin ; this I was very glad to do, as I was tired. 

About four o'clock in the morning the second steward 
came up to me and gave me a pretty hard kick in the side 
that hurt me, and called out: " Get up here, and put your 
mattress away." I did get up and put away my bed, and 
then I went to the steward who kicked me and said : 
*' Look here ! Don't kick me that way again, for you hurt 
me." He let go and hit me a slap in the face that made 
my ears rmg ; so into him I pitched. I was a big boy for 
only ten years old ; but I struck the wrong man that time, 
for he hit me another lick in the nose that came very near 
sending me to grass, but I rallied and came again. This 
time I had a piece of stone coal that I grabbed out of a 
bucket ; I let it fly, and it caught him on the side of the 
head and brought him to his knees. By this time the pas- 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. II 

sengers were getting up to see what was the matter ; the 
pilot and first steward soon put a stop to the fight. I told 
my story to the boss, and he took sides with me. He told 
the officers of the boat that I was the best boy to work that 
he had ; so they discharged the second steward at Cincin- 
nati, and you can bet I was glad. I remained on the 
Wacousta for some time, and thought myself a good steam- 
boat man. I knew it all, for I had been there. 

The next boat I shipped on was the Walnut Hills, at 
$7 per month. You could hear her " scape " (whistle) 
for a distance of twenty miles of a clear day or night. I 
would get up early in the morning and make some " five- 
cent pieces " (there were no nickels in those days) by black- 
ing boots. 

PUT ASHORE FOR FIGHTING. 

I quit the Walnut Hills after three months, and shipped 
with Captain Patterson on the Cicero, bound for Nashville. 
The first trip up the Cumberland River the boat was full of 
passengers, and I had a fight with the pantryman. The 
Captain said I should go ashore. They brought me up to 
the office, and the clerk was told to pay me my wages, 
which amounted to the large sum of one dollar and fifty 
cents. I was told to get my baggage ; but as two blue cot- 
ton shirts and what I had on my back was all I possessed, 
it did not take me long to pack. My trunk was a piece of 
brown paper with a pin lock. They landed me at a point 
where the bank was about one hundred feet high, and so 
steep that a goat could not climb it. They commenced to 
pull in the plank, when the steward yelled out to the Cap- 
tain, " that he could not get along without that boy," and 
asked him to let me go as far as Nashville. I was told to 
come aboard, which I did, and I remained on that boat for 
one year, during which time I learned to play " seven-up," 
and to "steal card," so that I could cheat the boys, and I 
felt as if I was fixed for life. I quit the Cicero, and shipped 



12 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

with Captain Mason on the steamer Tiago. Bill Campbell, 
afterward the first captain of the Robert E. Lee^ was a 
cabin boy on the same boat. He is now a captain in the 
Vicksburg Packet Line. During the time I was on the 
Ttago the Mexican War broke out. 

WAR WITH MEXICO. 

" Land intersected by a narrow frith 
Abhor each other. Mountains interposed 
Make enemies of nations who had else, 
Like kindred drops, been mingled into one." 

When the Mexican War broke out, our boat was lying 
at Pittsburg. The Government bought a new boat called 
the Corvette, that had just been built at Brownsville. A 
cousin of mine was engaged to pilot her on the Rio Grande. 
His name was Press Devol. He was a good pilot on 
the Ohio, from Cincinnati to Pittsburg, but had never 
seen the Rio Grande, except on the map. I thought I 
would like to go to war, and' to Mexico, My cousin got 
me the position as barkeeper, so I quit our boat, and 
shipped on the Corvette, for the war. Jack McCourtney, 
of Wheeling, was the owner of the bar. 

There was a man aboard, on our way down, who took 
a great likmg to me. He was well posted on cards, and 
taught me to " stock a deck," so I could give a man a big 
hand ; so I was a second time " fixed for life." 

When we got down to New Orleans they took the boat 
over to Algiers, took her guards off, and part of her cabin, 
and we started across the Gulf; and you bet my hair stood 
up at times, when those big swells would go clear over her 
in a storm But finally we landed at Bagdad, and com- 
menced to load her with supplies for the army. 

I soon got tired of the Rio Grande, and after cheatmg 
all the soldiers that I could at cards (as there was no one 
else to rob), I took a vessel, and came back to New Orleans. 
When I landed there, I was very comfortably fixed, as I 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 1 3 

had about $2,700, and was not quite seventeen years old. 
Here I was in a big city, and knew no one ; so I went and 
got a boarding house, and left all my cash, but what I 
might need, in the care of an old gentleman that looked 
something like my father. I thought he must be honest, as 
he looked like him, and he proved himself so. 

I then picked up courage, and said to myself, " I believe 
that I will go home." But to pay passage was all foolish- 
ness, as I was such a good hand on a boat, so I shipped on 
the steamboat Montgomery^ Captain Montgomery, and 
Windy Marshall (as they called him) Mate. I shipped as 
second steward, at twenty dollars per month. 

The boat was full of people, and the card tables were 
going every night as soon as the supper tables were 
cleared. We had been out from New Orleans two days 
and nights before I picked up a game. One afternoon 
in the texas, I beat my man out of $170; and as there 
was no *' squeal" in those days, I was *all right, al- 
though they did not allow any of the crew to play with 
passengers. 

We got to Louisville, where the boat laid up and paid 
off her crew, and I came on to Cincinnati. 



HOME AGAIN. 

" Be it a weakness, it deserves some praise ; 
We love the play-place of our early days." 

"Well, now I'll go home to the folks," I said, " and see 
if they will forgive me." I thought I would take home some 
presents, so I bought about $400 worth of goods, including 
coffee, sugar, teas, etc., and took the old steamer Hibernia, 
of Pittsburg, Captain Clinefelter, master. You ought to 
have seen me when I stepped on the wharf boat at Marietta, 
my birthplace, dressed to death, with my gold watch and 
chain, and a fine trunk I had bought at New Orleans for 
$40. I got my groceries off the wharfboat, and hired a 



14 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

wagon, and I took it afoot, as in those days you could not 
get a hack except at a livery stable. 

My mother knew me at first sight. Father was work- 
ing at the ship-yard at Port Homer, on the other side of 
the Muskingum River, and did not come home until night. 

I stopped at home a year, and had a fight nearly every 
week. I then came to Cincinnati again, where I met my 
brother Paul, who was working at calking steamboats. He 
coaxed me to stay with him, saying he would teach me the 
trade. I consented, and soon was able to earn $4 per day. 
We worked together a few years, and made a good deal 
of money ; but every Monday morning I went to work 
broke. I became infatuated with the game of faro, and it 
kept me a slave. So I concluded to either quit work or 
quit gambling. I studied the matter over for a long time. 
At last one day while we were finishing a boat that we 
had calked, and were working on a float aft of the wheel, 
I gave my tools a push with my foot, and they all went into 
the river. My brother called out and asked me what I was 
doing. I looked up, a little sheepish, and said it was the 
last lick' of work I would ever do. He was surprised to 
hear me talk that way, and asked me what I intended to 
do. I told him I intended to live off of fools and suckers. 
I also said, " I will make money rain;" and I did come 
near doing as I said. 

THE GAME OF RONDO. 

After shoving my calking tools into the river, I went to 
keeping a " Rondo " game for Daniel and Joseph Smith, 
up on Fifth Street, at $18 per week. Hundreds of dollars 
changed hands every hour, both day and night. At the 
end of six months I was taken in as a partner, and at that 
time the receipts of the game were about $600 every day. 
I had money to sell (or throw away), and, for a boy, I 
made it fly. In a short time the police began to raid us, 
and we would be fined fifty dollars each about once a 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 5 

month. Then they raised it to $ioo, and next to $500. 
This was too much, so we had heavy oak and iron doors 
put up ; but the pohce would batter them down, and get us 
just the same. One night they surrounded the house, broke 
down the door, and arrested my two partners ; but I escaped 
by the roof. The next day I went up to the jail to take 
the boys something to eat, when they nabbed and locked 
me up also. They put me in the same cell with Kissane, 
of the steamer Martha Washington notoriety, who was 
living in great style at the jail. They fined us $500 each 
and let us go, and that broke up " Rondo." 

After retiring from the " Rondo " business, I took pass- 
age with Captain Riddle on the steamer Ann Linmgton, 
bound for the Wabash River, to visit a sister, who lived 
near Bloomfield, Edgar County, Ills. There werr no rail- 
roads in that part of the country in those days. My 
sister's husband bought 3,000 acres of land near Paris, at 
$1.25 per acre, and the same land is now worth c|" 
acre. During my trip up the river I formed the ac 
ance of Sam Burges, who was a great circus 
Captain Riddle and Burges got to playing poker, and 
Captain " bested " him for about $200. I told Burges that 
I could make him win if he could get me into the game. 
So, after supper, they sat down to play, and I was a 
looker-on. Burges asked me to take a hand, which I did, 
and on my deal I would " fill " his hand, so that he soon 
had the Captain badly rattled, and he lost about $900. 
The old Captain was getting " full," and I looked for a 
fight sooner or later. Burges invited all to take a drink, 
when the Captain refused, and told Burges that he was a 
"d — d gambler." Burges called him a liar, so at it they 
went. The Captain was getting the best of it when we 
parted them, and it was all we could do to keep Burges 
from shooting. I got one-half of the $900, and no one 
called me a gambler either. 

As the boat was going through the "draw," at Terre 
Haute, she took a "shear" on the pilot, and knocked 



1 6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

down her chimneys. The Captain went up on deck, 
cursed the pilot, went down on the lower deck, knocked 
down two deck-hands, and raised cain generally. Burges 
expected he would tackle him again, but the Captain did 
not want any of that gun. When we arrived at the landing, 
I got off, and went to my sister's. I remained there about 
one month, and had a good time shooting wild turkeys and 
chickens. On my return trip I got into a game of poker, 
and took in a few hundred. I stopped off at Louisville a 
short time, and then shipped for Cincinnati, where I re- 
mained until I was very near broke. 

NOW A GAMBLER. 

\ ''If yet you love game at so dear a rate, 

Learn this, that hath old gamesters dearly cost: 
Dost lose ? rise up. Dost win ? rise in that state. 
Who strives to sit out losing hands are lost." 

. Cincinnati for St. Louis ; and when I landed there, 

just $40 left. I secured a boarding house, and 

J to take in the town. I made inquiries for a faro 

ak, and at last found one ; and I bolted in as if I was an 

old sport. I stepped up to the table, and asked the dealer 

for $40 worth of checks. I then commenced to play, and 

won ; and, pressing my good luck, in two hours had $780 

in checks in front of me. I told the dealer to cash my 

checks, and I walked out. 

The next day I was on my way to St. Paul, as at that 
time there was a great emigration in that direction. I 
took passage on a steamer that had nearly 300 people on 
board, going there to buy homes, and, of course, they had 
plenty of money with them. After the supper tables were 
cleared, a game of poker was commenced ; then another, 
and another, until there were five tables going. I sat at 
one of the tables looking on for a long time, until at 
length one of the gentlemen said to me, "Do you ever 
indulge ?" I said, '* Hardly ever, but I do not care if I 
play a while." The bar was open, and they all appeared 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 7 

to enjoy a good drink, but I never cared for anything 
stronger than a lemonade. The result was that they all 
got full, and I thought I might as well have some of their 
money as to let the barkeeper have it, and I commenced to 
try some of the tricks I had learned. I found they worked 
finely, and at daybreak the bar and I had all the money. 
I got about $1,300, which made me $2,000 strong, , 

When we arrived at St. Paul I struck another bank, and 
to my sorrow. I found one conducted by Cole Martin and 
" King Cole," two old sports, who soon relieved me of my 
$2,000. I then was without a cent, and too game to let the 
gamblers know that I was broke. After I had been there 
about a week, one of them stopped me on the street, and 
asked me why I did not come around and see them. He 
said: "I don't ask you to play, but come and dine with 
us." I accepted his invitation, and went around that even-- 
ing, and had as fine a bird supper as I ever sat down to. 



MY FIRST KENO. 

" 'Tis not enough to help the feeble up, 
But to support him after." 

The next day 1 visited another club-house, where they 
had keno going at fifty cents a card. I had seen it before, 
and took a great fancy to the game. I inquired how much 
an outfit would cost. They said they had two keno sets, 
and if I wanted one they would sell it to me for $250. 

Now came the tug of war — how to get the keno. I at 
last thought of a plan, and that was to borrow the 
amount of one of the dealers who had won the $2,000 
from me. So I made a bold front and told him what I 
wanted to do, and he gave me $300 in cash, saying at the 
same time, " Pay me when you are able, as I like to help 
a young man who tries to help himself." I bought the 
keno set, and had $50 left, which paid all my debts and 
started me in business. 



l8 FORTY YEAKS A GAMBLKR 

Cole Martin, one of the men who loaned me the money, 
said to me: " Now, after the faro bank closes to-night, at 
my house, if you bring your keno over I will help you to 
get up a game." " All right," I said ; so I took it over, and 
opened on the billiard tables, and he brought all of his 
players into the room, and said, " Let us start this young 
man's game." They commenced playing at $i per card 
at twelve o'clock, and at six in the morning they were 
playing at $io per card. I was taking out lo per cent. 
They all got stuck. That night my receipts amounted to 
$1,300. 

The result was they put the carpenters at work to fit up 
a nice room for me, and in eight months my part of the game 
was $33,000. 

Then I began to think I was a blooded boy, and soon 
began to take the girls out riding and to wine suppers, and 
to play the bank highei than a cat's back, as the old keno 
game was a great producer. 

About this time the town of Winona was looking 
up. There were but two or three little frame houses, but 
a great many people got off there, going back in the 
country. So I went down there and bought a raft of green 
lumber, hired carpenters, and put them to work build- 
ing houses. They soon had five or six done, and in about 
a week after they were finished, you could stand outside 
and throw a big dog through the cracks. But they were 
full every night at $1 a head, bringing their own blankets, 
and sleeping on the floor. 

I sent and got another keno set, and opened a bar room, 
and was making money like dirt, when one day a man 
walked in with a bucket of water, and commenced pour- 
ing it on one of my billiard tables that I got in Chicago, 
and which cost me $500. I walked up to him and asked 
him what he was doing? He told me to go to h — 1. I let 
fly, caught him on the neck, and down he went, and 
he lay there for some time. Finally they took him to where 
he and his wife were stopping, and that night he died. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. I9 

Then I commenced to think about getting out of that hot box. 
I got together what money I could, and carried a canoe to 
the river, and started for Dubuque. There were no tele- 
graph lines at that time. I had been there but a few days 
before the news came to me that the doctors had held a 
post mortem examination, and decided the man had had 
delirium tremens, and could only have lived a short time. 
They sawed open his skull, and found his brain a jelly in 
the center. So I went back and found his wife, g.ave her 
one of the houses which T had built and $700 in money. 

I then put a man in charge of my business, and went 
back to St. Paul, where my keno games were still going 
on. But the man I left in charge of my business at 
Winona sold all he could and skipped out, and that was the 
last seen of him till I went up the Missouri River two 
years after, when I found him in Kansas City. At that 
time there were but three or four houses and a hotel down 
at the river bank. It was a great point for the Santa Fe 
traders. 

I became acquainted with a man named McGee, who 
owned the largest part of Kansas City. He was a great 
lover of the game of "seven-up," so we commenced to 
play at $10 a game, and I beat him out of five lots (as he 
had no money), which I afterward sold at $10 a piece. 
Twelve years ago, as I passed through there, I saw those 
same lots bringing $600 per foot. 

I went from there to St. Joe, Omaha, and Council Bluffs, 
and broke a great many fellows playing poker. I then settled 
down at dealing faro in St. Joseph, Mo. After staying 
there one year I went to St. Louis, where I remained two 
or three months, and then went to New Orleans. I landed 
therein 1853. The yellow fever was raging, there being 
300 deaths per day. Then was the time, if there was any 
fright in the young gambler, for it to have shown itself; but 
I made up my mind that if I had to go I might as well go 
then as at any other time. 

I was taken down with the fever, and nurses were scarce ; 



20 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

but I got an old colored woman, and told her to stick to me 
and I would give her $25 per day as long as I was sick, 
and if I handed in my checks she might have all I left. In 
twenty-three days, by the grace of our good Maker, I was 
up eating chicken soup. They watched me so close I could 
get nothing else. 

During this time I got an answer from a letter written 
to my partner at St. Paul, telling him to sell out as best he 
could, and to send me my part, which he did. 

INDIANS CAN PLAY POKER. 

The yeai I was in St. Paul they paid off a lot of Indians 
a short distance from the town. I' was told that the Red 
Man was a good poker player, and was always looking for 
the best of it. They paid them in silver ; so I got some of 
the hard money, hired a horse and buggy, got some 
whisky, and started out to give them a game, more for the 
fun and novelty of the thing than to win their money ; for I 
had the old keno game running, and she was a good pro- 
ducer. When I got among the savages, they were having 
a war dance. After the dance they smoked the pipe of 
peace and drank my whisky, and I smoked their pipev<. 
After the friendly smoking was over, they started in to 
playing poker. They invited and insisted on me changing 
in, so at last I sat down and took a hand. One of the old 
bucks soon began to cheat. He had an old hat in front of 
him, and inside of the hat he had a looking-glass, so that 
he could see on his deal every card he dealt out. I knew 
he was after me, so I told him to put the hat away and play 
fair. He saw I was no " sucker," so he put it away. We 
played for some time, and it was all I could do to keep 
even by playing on the square with big " injins," as I 
found them very good card players. I held out a hand, 
but had to wait some time for the '' wild man of the forest." 
At last there was a big " bhnd and straddle," and I kept 
raising it before the draw. They all " stayed," and drew 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 21 

two or three cards (I do not remember which). I took one, 
and when we came to " show down," I was the lucky fel- 
low. This was too much for the bucks, so three of them 
dropped out, and left an old chief and myself single-handed. 
As I was over $150 ahead of the game, I played liberally, 
to drav/ the old chieftain on ; and as he had one of his 
bucks walking around behind, and talking " big injin " 
all the time, he was getting the best of me. I knew that 
my hands were being given away, but I did not let them 
know that I was onto their racket. I waited my chance, 
and clinched onto four fours and a jack. I kept '' going 
blind," until the chief got a good hand, and then he came 
back at me strong. We had it hot and heavy. I let the 
buck see my hand until it came to the draw, and then I 
shifted the hand, and came up with the four fours and the 
jack, but the warrior did not get to see that hand. I then 
made a big bet. The old chief called his squaw, and she 
brought him a sack of silver. He then " called" me. We 
showed down ; the money was mine ; and then you should 
have seen the fun. The buck that had been giving my 
hand away started to run. The old chief jumped up, 
grabbed his tomahawk, and lit out after him. I jerked off 
my coat, dumped all the silver into it, jumped into my 
buggy, and lost no time in getting out of that neck of the 
woods. As I was going at a 2 : 40 gait, I looked back and 
saw the buck and old chief going through the woods. I 
never knew whether the old man caught the buck or not, 
but I do know he did not catch me. I took desperate 
chances to win that pot, and I was very lucky in not losing 
my scalp. I never inquired when the Indians were to be 
paid off again, for I had no notion of paying them a visit. 
Any one who has a desire to play poker with " big injms " 
has my consent ; but I would advise them to play a square 
game, and keep their eye skinned for the big " buck " that 
talks to the chief. 



22 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



A RELIGIOUS CAPTAIN. 

I was on board the steamer Wa7' Eagle going from 
Dubuque to St. Paul. The Captain was a member of the 
church, and did not allow any gambling on his boat ; and 
any one caught at that innocent pastime would be put 
ashore. While walking over the boat I met a gentleman 
who I thought had money (and I hardly ever made a mis- 
take in my man). I invited him to join me in a drink, and 
then steered him into the barber shop. I told him I had 
lost some money betting on cards, but I did not mind it 
very much, as my father was wealthy. While I was show- 
ing him how I had lost the money, my partner came in; 
and after watching me throw the cards for a little while, 
he wanted to bet me $ioo he could pick the card. I 
threw them again, and told him to put up. He " turned," 
and won the money. Then, turning to the man, he showed 
him one of the corners turned up, and wanted to bet me 
again. I told him I would not play with a man thai beat 
me. The man then asked me if I would bet with him. I 
said I would, providing the other fellow would not tell him 
which card to turn, which was agreed to. The man then 
got out his big roll, and put up $ioo. I told him if 
he won I would only bet him the one time ; and if I won, 
I would only be even ; and that I would not bet less than 
$500. He put up the $500, and turned the wrong card. 
After putting the money out of sight, I began to throw 
the cards again : for I saw a diamond stud and ring 
worth about $1,000. While the cards were on the table 
I turned around to spit, and my partner marked one 
of the cards with a pencil, and let the man see the mark. 
He then bet me $500, and won it ; then he walked away. 
The man began to get nervous and feel for his money ; 
but he had only about seventy-five dollars left, and 
wanted to bet that. I told him I had just lost $500, 
and would not bet less than $1,000. He insisted on 



ON^ THE MISSISSIPPI. 23 

betting the $75, but I told him to keep it for expenses, 
and that I would bet him $500 against his stud and 
ring. Up they went, and I put up $500. Over went 
the marked card, and he lost again. Out he went, 
and when I saw him again the Captain was with him. I 
knew what was in the wind. Out I stood my ground. The 
Captain said to me, " Have you been gambling on my 
boat?" " I do not know what you mean by that question," 
says I. "You don't? Well, I will tell you, my boy; you 
give this gentleman back all the money and jewelry you 
won from him, or I will have my men take it from you, and 
then land you on the bank." I laughed at him, and told him 
to bring up his whole crew, and I would suffer the death 
of John Rodgers before I would give up one cent. He 
ordered up the mate and crew. I backed up against the 
side of the boat, and told them to call for cards, as I " stood 
pat." They said they did not want any, for they could see 
by my looks I had the best hand, or at least I would play it 
for all it was worth. The Captain then said, " You must go 
ashore." I said, " Land her ; both sides of the river are in 
America, and that big brick house up there is where I live." 
The old fellow could not help laughing at my cheek, and 
so concluded to let me alone. 

I have often had steamboat captains tell me I must 
give up the money or go ashore, and I had them to tell the 
suckers to go and get more money and try it again. I 
have also had them to say they would put the suckers 
ashore, and that would break them all up. A sucker thinks 
when he sees a mark on a card that he is robbing the 
gambler, and he is just as much of a robber and gambler as 
the other man. 

When two peisons bet, one 7nusi lose ; and there is no 
law in this country to compel a man to bet his money or 
jewelry on anything. So my advice is, don't you do it. 



24 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



A COLD DECK. 



I was aboard the Sultana, bound for Louisville, and 
got into a five-handed game of poker. When we landed 
at the mouth of the Cumberland, two of our party got off 
to take a boat for Nashville ; that left our game three- 
handed. For fear that another would get away, I thought 
I must get in my work without further delay ; so I excused 
myself for a few moments and went to the bar. I got a 
deck just like the one we were using, and "run up" three 
hands, giving one three aces, one three kings, and myself 
four trays. We played a short time after my return, and 
on my deal I called their attention to something, and at 
the same time came up with the '* cold deck." The betting 
was lively. I let them do the raising, and I did the call- 
ing until it came to the draw. They each took two cards, 
and I took one, saying, "If I fill this flush, I will make 
you squeal." I knew they both had " full hands," and 
they just slashed their money on the table until there was 
over $4,000 up. Then I made a "raise" of $1,200, and 
they both " called." " Gentlemen," I said, " I suppose you 
have me beat; I have only two pair." "Oh! " says one, 
" I have a king full ; " and the other one said, " I have an 
ace full." " Well, boys, I can down both hands, for I have 
two pair of trays." The game came to a close, for there 
was no more money on the other side. 

CAUGHT A SLEEPER. 

I was playing poker once on the steamer General ^lit- 
man. The party were all full of grape juice. Along about 
morning the game was reduced to single-handed, and the 
man I was playing with was fast asleep, so I picked up the 
deck and took four aces and four kings out, with an odd 
card to each. I gave him the kings and I took the aces. I 
gave him a hunch, and told him to wake up and look at his 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 25 

hand. He partly raised his hand, but laid it down again, 
and I knew he had not seen it. I gave him a push and 
shook him up pretty livel}-, and he opened his eyes. I 
said: "Come, look at your hand, or I will quit." He got 
a glimpse of it, and I never saw such a change in a man's 
countenance. He made a dive for his money and said : 
" I will bet you $ioo, for I want to show you I am not 
asleep." I told him I thought he was " bluffing." I said in 
a joking way: *' I will raise you $i,ooo." So he pulled 
out his money and laid it on the table, and said : " I will 
only call you, but I know I have you beat." I showed 
down four big live aces, and he was awake sure enough 
after that. He never went into any more of those fits, and 
we played until they wanted the table for breakfast. I 
used to make it a point to " cold deck" a sucker on his 
own deal, as they then had great confidence in their hands. 
My old paw is large enough to hold out a compressed bale 
of cotton or a whole deck of cards, and it comes in verjv 
handy to do the work. I could hold one deck in the palm 
of my hand and shuffle up another, and then come the 
change on his deal. It requires a great deal of cheek and 
gall, and I was always endowed with both — that is, they 
used to say so down South. 

TEN THOUSAND IN COUNTERFEIT MONEY. 

We had a great " graft," before the war, on the Upper 
Mississippi, between St. Louis and St. Charles. We would 
go up on a boat and back by rail. One night going up we 
had done a good business in our line, and were just put- 
ting up the shutters, when a man stepped up and said '* he 
could turn the right card." My partner, Posey Jeflfers, 
was doing the honors that night, and he said, "I will bet 
from $1 to $10,000 that no man can pick out the win- 
ning ticket." The man pulled out a roil nearly as large 
as a pillow, and put up $5,000. Posey put up the same 
amoun^ and over the card went for $5,000; but it was not 



26 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

the winner. " Mix them up again," said the man, and he 
put up the same sum as before. He turned, and Posey put 
the second $5,000 in his pocket. The man then walked 
away as if to lose $10,000 was an every-day thing with 
him. We then closed up our "banking house," well 
pleased with ourselves. The next day we were counting 
our cash, and we found we had on hand $10,000 in nice 
new bills on the State Bank of Missouri, but it was all 
counterfeit. Weideposited it in the (fire) bank, as we had 
no immediate use for it. 

BLOWING UP OF THE PRINCESS. 

I was on board of the steamer Princess on a down trip 
when she was carrying a large number of passengers, and 
there were fourteen preachers among them, on their way 
to New Orleans to attend a conference. The boat was 
making the fastest time she had ever made. I had a big 
game of "roulette" in the barber shop, which ran all 
Saturday night ; and on Sunday morning, just after leaving 
Baton Rouge, I opened up again, and had thirty-five per- 
sons in the shop, all putting down their money as fast as 
they could get up to the table. I was doing a land-office 
business, when ail of a sudden there was a terrific noise, 
followed by the hissing of escaping steam, mingled with 
the screams and groans of the wounded and dying. The 
boat had blown up, and was almost a total wreck. There 
was but very little left, and that consisted mostly of the 
barber shop, which was at the time full of gamblers, and 
not one of them was hurt. The steamers Peerless and 
McRay came to our aid ; one boat looked after the dead 
and wounded, and the other took us lucky fellows out of 
the barber shop. One hundred souls were landed into eter- 
nity without a moment's warning, and among them were 
the fourteen preachers. It was a horrible sight ; the bodies 
were so mangled and scalded that one could not have 
recognized his own brother or sister. Captain William 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 27 

Campbell (now of the Vicksburg Packet line) was steward 
of the Princess at the time of the explosion, and there was 
not a man on the boat that worked harder to s-ave life and 
relieve the wounded. He richly deserved his promotion, 
and is now one of the best captains on the river. 

A WOMAN WITH A GUN. 

I was on a boat coming from Memphis one night, when 
my partner beat a man out of $600, playing poker. After 
the game broke up, the man went into the ladies' cabin and 
told his wife. She ran into his room and got his pistol, 
and said, *' I will have that money back, or kill the man." 
I saw her coming, pistol in hand, and stepped up to the 
bar and told the barkeeper to hand me that old gun he 
had in the drawer, which I knew had no loads in it. She 
came on, frothing at the mouth, with blood in her eyes. I 
saw she was very much excited, and I said to her : " Mad- 
ame, you are perfectly right. You would do right in shoot- 
ing that fellow, for he is nothing but a gambler. I don't 
believe your pistol will go off; you had better take my pis- 
tol, for I am a government detective, and have to keep the 
best of arms." So I handed her the pistol, and took hers. 
Just a moment later out stepped the man who had won the 
money, and she bolted up to him and said : " You won my 
husband's money, and I will just give you one minute to 
hand it to me, or I will blow your brains out in this 
cabin," Well, you ought to have seen the passengers get- 
ting out of the cabin when she pulled down on him ; but he 
knew the joke and stood pat, and showed what a game fel- 
low he was. He told the woman her husband lost the 
money gambling, and he could not get a cent back. Then 
she let go ; but the pistol failed to go off, and he got hei 
to go back into the cabin, and pacified her by giving her 
$100. After taking the charges out of her pistol, I re- 
turned it to her. So, reader, you can see what a gay life 
there is in gambling. 



28 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLKR 



THE FRENCHMAN AND THE HORSE HAIR. 

I knew a Frenchman who used to travel the river play- 
ing the wheel, who made a great deal of money and sent 
it to France. One night he opened a $i,ooo snap at faro, 
and I was to loan him my tools. He shuffled his own 
cards, as he was too smart to use any other ; and I went 
down on deck and pulled some hairs out of a horse's tail, 
and came back and got one of the coppers and fastened a 
hair to it. A copper is used to make a bet lose and take 
the banker's side. When the copper is off, the bet is open. 
So I got my partner to buy a big lot of white checks, so 
that I could get my small bet behind them. My checks were 
$12.50 apiece ; he was playing white checks at 25 cents. 
We took one corner of the table, side by side. He placed 
his checks between the dealer and me ; then I would put 
my little stack behind his checks, and when the dealer 
made a turn he would have to rise from his seat to see if 
my bet was coppered or not. If the card lost that we 
were on, I would let the copper remain ; if it won, I gave 
the horse hair a little jerk and pulled the copper off, and 
we both won. I used to take it off when he was going to 
pay the bet, for fear he would get his fingers tangled in the 
hair ; and in this way we won the bank roll, which made 
the Frenchman very sick. 

SAVED MY PARTNER'S LIFE. 

We were once coming down on the steamer Belle Key, 
of Louisville, and my partner was doing the playing that 
day. We had won some big money, and were about to 
quit, when up stepped a very tall man, who looked pale 
and sickly. He watched the game for some time, and 
then pulled out a $1,000 note and laid it on the card he 
wanted, and of course he lost. He did not say a word, 
but started back to his room. I thought he acted strangely, 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



29 



and I concluded to keep an eye on him. Pretty soon out 
he came with an overcoat on his arm, and he walked up as 
near the table as he could get, and commenced to push 
some of the crowd away so as to get closer. Finally he 
got at my partner's back, with me close at his heels, when 
he commenced to pull from under his coat a large Colt's 
pistol. As he leveled it to shoot him in the back of the 
head, I knocked him stiff, and the gun dropped on the 
floor. It was cocked, but it did not go off. They carried 
him to his room, put cold water on him, and finally brought 
him to. He sent for me, and when I went back he reached 
out his hand, and said : " Friend, you did me a kindly act, 
for I had made up my mind to kill that man. I am glad 
it happened so, for it was all the money I had, and it was 
raised by my friends, who, knowing that I never would 
reach home again, were sending me to Florida, as all the 
doctors have given me up ; and I thought I would kill him, 
as I do not expect to get off this boat alive. I have got 
consumption in its last stages." Sol pulled out $1,000, 
counted it out to him, and he cried like a child. His pis- 
tol I gave to the mate, as I thought he had no need of such 
a weapon. 

LEAP FOR LIFE. 

Another time I was coming up on the steamer Fair- 
child with Captain Fawcett, of Louisville. When we 
landed at Napoleon there were about twenty-five of the 
"Arkansas Killers" came on board, and I just opened 
out and cleaned the party of money, watches, and all their 
valuables. Things went along smoothly for a while, until 
they commenced to drink pretty freely. Finally one of 
them said: "Jake, Sam, Ike, get Bill, and let us kill that 
d — d gambler who got our money." "All right," said the 
party, and they broke for their rooms to get their guns. I 
stepped out of the side door, and got under the pilot-house, 
as it was my favorite hiding place. I could hear every 



30 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

word down stairs, and could whisper to the pilot. Well, 
the), hunted the boat from stem to stern — even took lights 
and went down into the hold — and finally gave up the 
chase, as one man said I had jumped overboard. I slipped 
the pilot $ioo in gold, as I had both pockets filled with 
gold and watches, and told him at the first point that stood 
out a good ways to run her as close as he could and I 
would jump. He whispered, '* Get ready," and I slipped 
out and walked back, and stood on the top of the wheel- 
house until she came, as I thought, near enough to make 
the jump, and away I went ; but it was farther than I 
expected, so I went down about thirty feet into the river, 
and struck into the soft mud clear up to my waist. Some 
parties who were standing on the stern of the boat saw me, 
and gave the alarm, when the "killers'' all rushed back 
and commenced firing at me, and the bullets went splatter- 
ing all around me. The pilot threw her into the bend as 
quick as he could, and then let on she took a sheer on him, 
and nearly went to the other side. The shooting brought 
the niggers from the fields to the bank of the river. I hal 
looed to them to get a long pole and pull me out, for I was 
stuck in the mud. They did so, and I got up on the bank 
and waited for another boat. 

1 was always very stubborn about giving up money if 
any one wanted to compel me to do it, but I wish I had 
one-quarter of what I have given back to people that did 
need it. I have seen many a man lose all he had, and then 
go back into the ladies' cabin and get his wife's diamonds, 
and lose them, thinking he might get even. But that was 
always a good cap for me, for I would walk back into the 
cabin, find the lady, and hand her jewels back ; and I never 
beat a man out of his money that I did not find out from the 
clerk if his passage was paid. If not, I would pay it, and give 
the man some of his money to assist him to his destination. 
By so doing I was looked upon as being a pretty good 
robber — that is, if you call it robbing ; but I tell you that a 
man that will bet on such a game as monte is a bigger rob- 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 3 1 

ber than the man who does the playing, for he thinks he is 
robbing you, and you know you are robbing him. 

THE CHICKEN MEN AND THEIR SILVER. 

At one time, before the war, silver was such a drug in 
New Orleans that you could get $105 in silver for $100 in 
State bank notes ; but the commission men would pay it 
out to the hucksters dollar for dollar. They would put it 
in bags and label it with the man's name and the amount. 
At this time I was coming out on the steamer "John Raine, 
and, in looking around for customers, I found fifteen 
chicken men on board, who had sold their "coops," and 
had their sacks of silver setting in the office, as there was 
no room for it in the safe. After supper I got my men in 
the barber shop, pulled out my three cards, and began to 
throw them, at the same time telling the men I had lost 
$1,000 at the game, and that I was going to practice until 
I could throw equal to the man that had beat me out of my 
money. They all took a great interest in the game, and 
could turn the right card every time for fun. About this 
time the "capper" came up, and said he was positive he 
could guess the card, and kept insisting on betting me 
$iOQ; so at last I concluded to bet him, and he lost the 
$100. Then the fun commenced. One of the chicken 
men saw the corner of the " right" card turned up ; so he 
jumped up, and wanted to bet me $500 that he could pick 
out the " right " card. I told him I did not want to bet, but 
if he made it $2,000 I would bet him, and if I lost I would 

_ quit. At the same time I pulled out a large roll of small 
bills, with a hundred dollar bill on the outside, and laid it 
on the table. The chicken men held a council of war, and 
of course they all saw the corner of the "right" card 
turned up. They went for their sacks of silver, and 
planked down four of them, with $500 in each. I put up 
and said: "Gentlemen, you must all agree on one card, 

; and select one man to turn it, as I must have the two 



/^ FORTY YEARS A GAMBJ^ER 

chances. They picked out their man ; he turned the card 
with the corner turned up ; but, of course, it was not the 
' ' right " card. The boat was just landing to take in sugar, 
so I said, "■ Gentlemen, I will have to bid you good-by, as 
this is my sugar plantation." I called two of the porters 
and told them ii take my sacks ashore. They said, "All 
' right, Massa George." You should have seen the chicken 
men look at me when I landed with my sacks ; and all the 
niggers came to shake hands and say, " Glad youse back, 
Massa George," (for I knew all the niggers on the coast). 
After the boat pulled out, I opened one of the sacks and 
gave each black, one of the '• chicken " half-dollars. They 
guarded the money until another boat came dov\m, which 
they hailed, and I was soon on my way back to New 
Orleans to catch some more suckers. 

THE HUNGRY MAN. 

I was on board the yohz Simonds coming out of New 
Orleans one night. I had a very lively game of " red and 
black," and did not close up until two o'clock in the morn- 
ing. We were sitting around the stove in the bar, drinking, 
smoking, and telling stones, when there was a man came 
in whom I had not seen since the boat left New Orleans. 
When he came aboard he was pretty full of " bug-juice," 
and had been asleep. When he woke up, of course he was 
dry, and had come into the bar to get a drink. I said to 
him, " You look dry, and you are just in time to join us." 
After thanking me, he took a drink, and then told me he had 
missed his supper. I told him I would send the porter to 
the texas, and get him a lunch, which I did. I then 
thought if I can get some more of that "go-your-money" 
whisky into him, I can size him up. So after taking another 
round, I said to him, " You should have been up when the 
big betting was going on." He said, " What was it ? " I 
said, *' There was a great tall fellow sat down to the table 
just after supper, and called all the men in the cabin to 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI. 33 

£ome and see how he had lost $2,000 of his father's money. 
He pulled out a lot of cards and began to throw them on 
the table, and he said to us, ' If you see the same fellow 
who got my money, don't you bet v/ith him, for he has two 
chances to your one.' I can't explain just how he did it, 
for I haven't got any of the cards." The barkeeper then 
said, " I have some of the fellow's cards that he left when 
he got otf the boat." I said, "Let me have them and I 
will try and show the game." I took the cards and bent 
them, and then said, "You ought to have seen him tiirow 
them through those long fingers ; it would have made you 
laugh." 

I was throwing and explaining when my partner 
came in. After looking on for a little while he asked me 
if I would bet on the game. I pretended not to hear him, 
but invited them both to take a drink. Then my partner 
offered to bet the drinks. I took him up, and he lost. 
While we were talking he picked up the cards and turned 
up one of the corners of the winner, and then let the other 
man see what he had done. I commenced to throw them 
again, when my partner wanted to know if I would bet 
just as they lay. I said I would after the shuffle. He said, 
"You beat me out of the drinks ; now I will bet you $100 
I can pick up the card the first pick.'' " Enough," says I, 
and up went the money in the "hungry" man's hands. 
Over went the card, and my partner caught me for $100. 
I said, " Give him the money, as he won it fairly." The 
stakeholder threw down his bread and meat, jumped up, 
pulled out his money, and said, " I will bet you $500 I can 
turn the right card the first time. " I saw he had about 
$1,500 or $2,000, so I said, '• I will make but one bet, and 
then quit; I will bet you $1,500." " Enough said, I'll go 
you." The money was put up, and over went the card ; 
but, as luck would have it, he turned the wrong one ; and, 
to tell the truth, I was giad of it. He then pulled out 
$400 in gold and wanted to bet that ; but I told him to keep 
it, for I did not want to win it from him, but wanted to keep 



34 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

what I liad. We sat down and had a drink, and in a short 
time the man went out on the guards. My partner and I were 
talking and laughing about how we won the money, when 
all of a sudden in rushed the man with his clothes all torn, 
and very much excited. We asked him what had hap- 
pened, when he told us that two fellows had grabbed and 
robbed him of the $400 in gold. 

We got the mate and watchman, and searched the boat 
until we found one of the robbers in a fireman's bunk, 
down on the lower deck. We got all the money from him 
and returned it to the man. The other robber could not be 
found. We turned the one we had captured over to the 
police of Baton Rouge, and that was the last we ever heard 
of him. I took the next boat back to New Orleans. i 

COLLARED THE WRONG MAN. ; 

I had been attending to business pretty faithfully, and 
had accumulated some wealth, when it struck me I must 
take a rest ; so when I arrived in New Orleans I laid off. 
I was playing the " bank " one night, and was a big loser. 
There was a big fighter came in and sat down at the same 
table, and in a short time he began fo pick up checks. I 
thought he would take some of mine next, and I was 
not in the humor to let any one take my checks. Sure ' 
enough, he clinched onto a stack I had on the nine. I said ; 
to him, " Those are my fifty." He raised up, took me by 
the collar, and said, "You're a d — d liar." I thought I 
would get the old head ready for business once more, so I 
argued the question with him until I saw an opening, and j 
then I let him have it just between the eyes. He dropped ' 
all in a heap, and it was some time before they could get I 
him to sit up. He was pretty badly hurt ; his nose was 
broken down flat with his face ; the blood was running out 
of his ears, and I thought it was about time for me to get 
out. I cashed in my checks and quit the game over $6,000 ' 
loser. So you see a man must fight at times, even when j 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 35 

he has quit his regular business, and is laying off for a 
rest. 

MY JEW PARTNER. 

I was on board the steamer Sultana one evening, com- 
ing up from New Orleans, when a "Jew" carne up to me, 
tapped me on the shoulder, and said : " Mr. Devol, I have 
heard of you for years, and have sat at the same table with 
you in New Orleans playing the bank. I caught her this 
trip for over $4,000 ; but I have often vi'ished I could make 
as much money as you do ; you bet I would take better 
care of it than you. Come, let us go and have a nice 
drink." I told him I did not drink anything but wine ; 
and I was very glad he had beat the bank, for they nearly 
always beat me ; but I could hold my own with any man at 
poker. He said: "Oh, Mr. Devo\ I know that no one 
can beat you at poker, and I would like *o put my money 
in Vv^ith you and have an interest." Something struck me 
immediately that I might as well have the $4,000 as not, so 
I said to him : " I will see Mr. Bush (my partner), and let 
you know after supper." The first thing to be done was to 
manufacture a sucker to play me a big game of poker. I 
knew several good boys on board ; some were gamblers 
and some vx^ere horsemen. I selected one of the horse- 
men, and took him to my room to teach him the ropes. I 
said to him : "I will cold deck you, and give you three 
kings, a seven and an eight, and you must put your thumb 
over one of the spots on the eight, so that the Jew will think 
you have a king full on sevens when he sees your hand. I 
will have an ace full, and will bet you $200 or $300 before 
the draw ; then you raise me $5,000." After giving him 
full instructions, so there would be no mistake, I gave him 
a big roll and let him out, with instructions not to know me 
until the time of the game. I told Bush the plan, so after 
supper we opened up with our three cards and took in a 
few hundred dollars. After we had closed for the evening, 
I picked up my manufactured sucker and commenced a 



36 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

divvy game of poker. I told my Jew partner to see every 
hand that the other fellow held, and to attract his atten- 
tion so I could cold deck him. I came up with the ice and 
bet $250 before the draw. The sucker came back and 
raised me $5,000. The Jew was behind liim and saw his 
king full on sevens ; he then came around and saw my ace 
full on trays. I pretended to be a little short, and called 
for Bush to bring me some money. Then my would-be 
partner commenced to get out his money, and was in such 
a hurry (for fear he would not be in time) 'hat he tore 
the buttons off his vest. He put up his $4,000 ; Bush got 
$1,000 from John C. Heenan (the prize fighter, who was 
on the boat); and I called the bet. The game had attracted 
the attention of all the passengers ; they were all around 
us, some on the tables and chairs, and every one was hold- 
ing his breath waiting for the result, except my Jew part- 
ner, who was so delighted with the sure thing of having 
won one-half of the money that he could not keep still 
a moment, but kept . dancing around, rubbing his hands 
and smiling as if he had sold a suit of clothes without 
coming down a cent. When, to everybody's great sur- 
prise, the sucker said, "Gentlemen, I have made a mistake 
in my hand ; can't I take my money down?" The Jew 
said : " Oh, we don't rectify no mistakes in poker." The 
sucker looked up at him and said : *' What in the h — 1 have 
you got to do with this game?" The Jew said : "I thought 
you was bluffin'." The sucker then said : " Hold on, gen- 
tlemen, we have not dr.awn yet. I thought I had a king 
full on sevens." He then threw down the seven and eight 
and called for two cards. The Jew said : " We don't care 
for your mistake," and then walked around behind the 
sucker to see what he would get in the draw. I dealt him 
off two cards, but the Jew did not get to see what he got. 
They had sent me some money from the office, and I bet 
him $500. The sucker hesitated a moment, and then bet 
$5,000. I put up all the money I had, my big single stone, 
pin and ring, but that was not enough. Then the Jew put 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 37 

up his Juergersen watch, a large cluster pin and ring, and 
I called the bet. The sucker said, " I have two pair.'' 
The Jew was so glad (thinking I had won) that he could 
not keep still, but went up and down like a jumping-jack. I 
showed down my ace full, and then the sucker showed 
down two pair of kings. You should have seen my " new 
partner." He threw up both his hands, groaned, and then 
fell over on the jfioor dead. We had to throw water in his 
face to bring him around, and when we got him up he 
started for the guards, saying- " I go drown myself; I 
don't want to live." Some one ran and got him a life pre- 
server, and told him to put it on before he jumped over- 
board. He finally quieted down and went to his room. I 
took the horseman into my room, gave him $200 in money 
and my "partner's" diamonds. He was the lion of the 
boat, and did not have to pay for drinks from there to Louis- 
ville. I got off at Baton Rouge at daybreak, and was soon 
on my way back to New Orleans ; and when I arrived there, 
every one I met would ask me about my bad luck. My 
friends were sorry for me. I could have borrowed almost 
any amount of mone}'. The papers came out all over the 
country that Devol had at last found his match. 

I saw the Jew in St. Louis some years later. He knew 
me, and said: " Mr. Devol, come and let us get a good 
drink. See that clothing store? That's mine. Ineverplay 
poker since that time on the boat; don't you remember?'' 

SOLD OUT BY A PARTNER. 

One night I was coming up the river on the steamer 
Morrison. I had a partner with me named Charles Bush. 
He was a good, big-hearted fellow, but did not know much 
about beating a sucker out of his money. I had to teach 
him how to handle the blokes. Well, Bush and myself had 
made some money, and were sitting around looking at the 
gamblers. There were twenty-five of them on board, go- 
ing to the Memphis races. Finally one of the sports, 



38 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

named Dennis McCarthy, said to me, " Devol, I will play 
you seven-up for :^ioo a game." So I turned to Bush and 
asked him if he wanted any interest in it. He said "No," 
so he sat down alongside of me, where he could see my 
hand. We commenced to play. I could see Bush work- 
ing a toothpick in his mouth, from the corner to the middle 
and then over to the other side. I thought I noticed that 
when the toothpick was in the left side of his mouth I al- 
ways had one trump ; when he had it in the middle of his 
mouth I had two trumps ; when in the right side I had three 
trumps, and when he took it out of his mouth I had no 
trumps. McCarthy beat me six straight games. The last 
game we played we were six and six. I saw Bush take 
the toothpick out of his mouth. I looked at my hand and 
saw no trumps. McCarthy stood his hand, and led. He 
had no trumps either, but as he had some large cards in 
his hand he made the game, which put him out. Bush was 
sitting on my right ; so I let go with my left, caught him 
between the eyes, and straightened him out on the floor. 
They got a piece of beefsteak and put it on his eyes, and 
he went to bed. There was a big six-foot fellow named 
Anderson, who said that any man that would hit another 
for nothing was a scoundrel, and he could whip him. He 
was not posted, and did not know why I hit him, so he 
made this bluff. I said to him, *'Take off your coat and 
come and see me." He took off his coat, and after he got 
it off he weakened, and picked up a big iron poker that 
lay by the stove. I pulled out old " Betsy Jane," one of 
the best tarantula pistols in the Southern country, andtold 
him to drop the poker, which he did. " Now," said 1, 
" if you want it on the square, I am your man." So at it 
we went, and I hit him and knocked him clear through the 
office door. I then reached down and caught him by the 
collar, raised him up and struck him with that good old 
faithful head of mine, and the fight was all over ; for I had 
broken every bone in his nose. The clerks came rushing 
out of the office, the Captain and passengers also came, 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 39 

and the Captain asked me what was the matter. I told 
him, and the mate spoke up and said Devol was perfectly 
right, for he had seen it all. I offered to pay for the door 
and chairs we broke, but the Captain would not accept one 
cent. 

I went back to the room to see Bush, for I was sorry I 
had hit him, although I thought he was guilt3^ I told him 
to get up and look out for me, and I would open faro bank 
for the gamblers, which he did. They all changed in ex- 
cept the big fellow with the broken nose ; he went to bed. 
The result was, we broke every one of them, and then got 
off at Baton Rouge; they went to Memphis, where the 
races commenced in a few days. Bush was with me for 
three years after that ; and many a night I have sat and 
dealt for a big game, and in the morning would divide 
several hundred dollars with Bush, who was m bed and 
asleep. 

THE BIG CATFISH. 

My old partner (Bush) and I had been up all night in 
New Orleans playing faro, and were several hundred dol- 
lars winners, and thought we would walk down to the 
French market and get a cup of coffee before we went to 
bed. We saw a catfish that would weigh about 125 pounds ; 
its mouth was so large that I could put my head into it. 
We got stuck on the big cat, and while we were looking 
at it an old man came up to me and said: "That is the 
largest catfish I ever saw." Bush was a little way off from 
me just at the time, and knowing I would have some fun 
(if not a bet) with the old man, he kept out of the way. I 
said to the old gent : " You are the worst judge of a fish I 
ever saw ; that is not a cat, it is a pike, and the largest one 
ever brought to this market." He looked at me and then 
at the fish, and then said : " Look here, my boy, where m 
the d — 1 were you raised?" I told him I was born and 
raised in Indiana. " Well, I thought you were from some 



40 FOR'iV YEARS A GAMBLER 

hoop-pole State." We got to arguing about it ; and I ap- 
peared to be mad, and offered to bet him $ioo that ttie 
fish was a pike. Says he, " Do you mean it ? " I pulled 
out a roll, threw down $ioo and told him to cover it. He 
lammed her up, and I said : " Who will we leave it to ? " 
We looked around and saw Bush, with a memorandum 
book in his hand and a pen behind his ear, talking to a 
woman who sold vegetables, and he was acting as if he 
was collector of the market. I said: " May be that man 
with the book in his hand might know." The old fellow 
called Bush, and said to him, "Do you belong about 
here?" " Oh, yes ; I have belonged about here for a good 
many years," says Bush. "Well, sir, you are just the man 
we want to decide our bet," says the old gent. " Well, 
gentlemen, I am in somewhat of a hurry ; but if you do not 
detain me too long, I will be glad to serve you to the best 
of my ability," said Bush. " We want you to tell us what 
kind of a fish this is." "Well, gentlemen, that can be 
done easily." "Out with it," said the old gent. Bush 
braced himself up, and said: "I have been market-mas- 
ter here for twenty years, and that is the largest -pike 
I ever saw in this market." "Well! "Well! Well!'' 
says the old man ; "I have lived on the Tombigbee River 
for forty-five years, and I never saw two bigger fools than 
you two." I invited the old man and the " market-mas- 
ter" to jom me in a cup of coffee. Bush accepted, but the 
old one from the Tombigbee declined, saying "he did not 
drink with men chat did not know a catfish from a pike." 
We bid him good morning and went home, and we were 
both sound asleep in a short time ; for we felt we had done 
an honest night's and morning's work. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



41 



THE SERMON ON THE (MOUNT) BOAT. 

"The hypocrite had left his masK, and stood 
In naked ugliness. He was a man 
Who stole the livery of the court of heaven 
To serve the devil in." 

I was coming from New Orleans on board the steamer 
E. H. Fairchilds, bound for Louisville. She was literally 
packed with people. After supper, on Saturday evening, 
we started a game in the barber shop, which was kept up 
until Sunday morning. Over $8,000 changed hands, and 
I was a big winner. After eating my breakfast I went out 
on the guards to take a smoke before going to bed. While I 
was enjoying my cigar, a fine looking old gentleman about 
sixty years of age came up to me and entered into con- 
versation. Presently the Captain joined us. The old 
gentleman told us he was a minister from Louisville, and 
would like to preach in the cabin. The Captain gave his 
consent. The minister placed his arm in mine, and, before 
I was aware of what we were doing, he had me half way 
down the ladies'cabin, and then it was too late to back out 
or get away. He sat me down near where he was standing. 
1 was impressed with his discourse, for it was full of prac- 
tical sayings. He spoke, of gambling in very plain terms, 
and of the game that had been kept up all night in the 
barbershop. He said : " It was a pity that such a fine 
looking gentleman as the one who sat near him should 
play cards for money." To tell the truth, his remarks on 
the subject of my business did make me feel a little mean. 
He did not look directly at me, but I thought he was getting 
close to home. The collection amounted to considerable, 
and I chipped in my share liberally. After the morning 
services were over 1 retired to my room to take a sleep, 
and it was not long until I had forgotten that we had an 
old preacher on board. 

I spent that Sunday evening reading until near mid- 
night ; most of the passengers had retired. There was 



J.2 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

but one passenger in the cabin, and he was sitting with his 
back to me, reading. I approached him, and found it was 
the minister. I had changed my dress so that he did not 
recognize me. I sat down near him, and he began talking 
about the gambling game of the night before, and he 
handled the gamblers without gloves. I sided with him in 
his views, and then trumped up a story oi how I had been 
roped into the game, and had lost $i,ooo; but that my 
father was rich, and gave me all the money I could spend, 
and that I did not mind the loss very much. He became 
very much interested, and asked a great many questions. 
I told him I had picked up some of the tickets that they 
played the game with, and had them in my room, and if he 
would like to see them I would go and get them. *' Oh, I 
would like very much to see the way it was played, and I 
will go to your room if you will show me.' We went to 
my room, and I showed him the old three-card monte 
racket. I let him play with the cards until he thought he 
knew all about them, and he said to me : " My dear sir, I 
can't see how you could lose money on such a simple thing ; 
I would not fail to pick out the right ticket every time." 
I said to him, " I'll make you a proposition ; I will throw 
the tickets, and put up $ioo with ^^ou. If you gain the 
money you are to donate it to your church ; and if I gain 
it I will do the same , foi I want to show you how I lost 
playing them.' The old fellow accepted m}' proposition, 
for he wanted to give the money to his church (and vso did 
I). Of course I displayed a big roll, and told him I would 
just as soon make it $200 as $100. He agreed, and we put 
up. He turned the ticket, but he failed to pick the right 
one. It was such a simple thing that he got excited, and 
put down $200 more, and again he failed to pick out the 
right one. We kept on until the old sucker lost an even 
$1,000, then I said to him, " I am really sorry, for I had 
rather lost the amount myself. This money will do me no 
good, and it would hardly benefit your church; we have 
had lots of fun, and I want you to gain the money back 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



43 



I will put up the $i,ooo against your watch and chain, and 
when you gain it back we can have a big laugh over it." 
He put up his handsome watch and chain (that had been 
presented to him by his congregation), and, as he was 
playing in hard luck, I soon had the " ticker." He bade me 
good night, and went to his room. 

I went to see the Captain, and when I showed him the 
reverend gentleman's watch, with the inscriptions on it, he 
could hardly believe his own eyes. After having a good 
laugh with the Captain, I went to the minister's room, and 
found him on his knees. When he saw me he said, "I 
have just been praying for you." I replied, " Brother, 
hadn't you better do a little of that for yourself ? " " Oh," 
says he, "1 have prayed mostly for myself this night." 
"Well," I said, " since you have prayed for yourself, and 
me too, here is your watch, chain, and $ioo. ' Go and sin 
no more.' " He said (with tears in his eyes), " God bless 
you.' I left the boat at Natchez, and did not get to see the 
old gentleman again. 

I caught a preacher once for all his money, his gold 
spectacles, and his sermons. Then I had some of those 
queer feelings come over me (and when they came upon 
me I could not resist their influence), so I gave him his 
sermons and specks back. At one time there were fifteen 
preachers on the Jackson Road, going to a conference at 
Hazelhurst. I got in among them, and, just for fun, I 
opened up monte, and I caught five out of the fifteen for 
every cent they had. I tell j^ou, my dear readers, preachers 
are but human, and some of them will steal the livery of 
the court of heaven to serve the devil (Devol) in. 

FIFTY TO THE BARKEEPER. 

I was in the St. Charles bar-room one morning — having 
been up all night playing the bank — when a good looking 
old fellow walked in and called for a champagne cocktail. 
I turned to him and said, " Have one with me; I drew 



^ FOiCrV YEARS A GAMBL.£R 

$6,000 out of the Havana Lottery last evening, and I would 
like you to join me." He accepted the invitation ; and 
while the barkeeper was mixing the drinks, I slipped out 
some monte cards, and began playing them on the counter. 
I told the old gentleman it was a kind of a lottery I saw a 
man play, and I wanted to learn it. He looked at the 
game, and turned the card for fun, then for the drinks and 
cigars. Finally he said, " I will bet you twenty-five dollars 
I can turn the card." I said, " If I bet, it will not be for 
less than $100." He got out his wallet, and there was 
plenty of money in sight. I then pretended that I wanted 
to back out, and I offered to treat to a bottle of wine. He 
said, •' No sir ; I hold you to the bet.'' I then acted a little 
huffy (as he thought), and offered to bet him $1,000. He 
put up $1,000; and as I saw some left, I said, " Here is 
$500 more, and I will bet but once." He put up the extra 
$500. I said to him, " You know you must turn over the 
baby card the first time, or you lose." "All right," he said, 
and at the same time he grabbed a card as though he 
thought it would get away, and turned it over ; but it was 
not the baby, and I was $1,500 winner, and did not have 
to divide with a capper, as I plaj^ed the old sucker single- 
handed. I invited him to take another drink, and then bid 
him good morning. As I was going out, I rolled up a 
fifty-dollar bill into a little ball, and shot it at the barkeeper. 
He caught it on the fly, and put it in his pocket. I went 
to my room and slept until evening, when I was up and 
ready for the bank again. 

LOST HIS WIFE'S DIAMONDS. 

I was pla3nng poker with a gentleman on board the 
steamer yo/in Sz'monds, bound for Louisville, late one 
night, and had won a few hundred dollars from him, when 
he got up without saying a word, and went to the ladies' 
cabin. In a short time he came back with a small velvet- 
covered box in his hand, and said to me, '* Come, let us 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



45 



finish our game." He opened the box, and I saw it was 
full of ladies' diamond jewelry. I said : " What are you 
going to do with those?" Said he, " I will put them up 
as money.'' *' Oh, no ; I have no use for ladies' jewelry." 
'* Well," says he, "if I lose I will redeem them when we 
get to Louisville." I told him I was not going above 
Vicksburg. "Well," says he, *' if you win, leave them 
with the clerk and I will pay him." I then loaned him 
$1,500 on the jewelry, and we sat down to play. It was 
about 3 A. M. when we commenced, and before they 
wanted the tables for breakfast I had won the $1,500 back. 
We drank a champagne cocktail, and he went to his room. 
The barber was at work on me, so that I was a little late 
for breakfast, and the steward had to take me into the 
ladies' cabin to get me a seat. There was a gentleman, a 
very beautiful lady, and a sweet little child at the same 
table ; the lady's eyes were red, as if she had been crying. 
I looked at the gentleman, and saw it was the same person 
who had lost the diamonds. Somehow, my breakfast 
did not suit me ; and the more I looked at that young wife 
and mother, the less I felt like eating. So at last I got up 
and left the table. I went to my room, got the little vel- 
vet box, wrapped it up, and carried it back. They were 
just leaving the table when I returned. I called the cham- 
bermaid, and told her the lady had left a package, and for 
her to take it to her room. After it was gone I felt bet- 
ter, and I eat a square meal. The gentleman came and 
thanked me, and wanted my address ; but as I never had 
any one to send me money lost at gambling, I told him not 
to mind the address ; for I knew if T did not give it, I 
would not expect anything, and therefore would not be d' 
appointed. 

THE MONTE KING. 

After getting well of the fever in New Orleans, I took 
a trip up the river on one of the Vicksburg packets. On 
this trip I met a man by the name of Rollins, who was the 



46 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

first man T ever saw playing three-card monte. Seeing I 
was pretty smart, he proposed a partnership. We first 
commenced depradations on the packets. He did the 
playing, and I was the capper. I represented a planter's 
son traveling for my health. Thefirst party that we fell on 
to was a nigger trader, who had forty-five big black coons 
on board, taking them to New Orleans to sell. We found 
him an easy victim, and downed him for $4,100 and four 
of his niggers. We were afraid to win any more from him 
on account of a squeal, but he acted very honorably and 
made out a bill of sale. 

Well, here I was a slave-holder with plenty of money. 
My partner was one of the best that I ever worked with, 
except Canada Bill, whom I shall speak of later. 
. We sold our slaves at one of the yards for $4,400 ; they 
averaged $1,100 apiece, and in twenty minutes after I saw 
one of them put on the block and bring $1 ,700. We knocked 
about the city, spending our money freely ; riding to the 
lake, eating big suppers with the girls ; and all were our 
friends, for we would not allow any person to spend a cent, 
and the flowing champagne was a great luxur}^ in those 
days. 

The next trip we took was on a Red River packet. We 
went as far as Shreveport and back on the same boat ; and 
on the trip, clear of expenses, we were $6,000 winners, as 
it was no more trouble to win $1,000 then than $1 now. 

Well, the gamblers began to get a little jealous of us, 
and at the same time we lost heavily at their games when 
we played, as we were both good suckers at any game ex- 
cept our own. One night one of them struck my partner, 
and I jumped in between and told them I did all the fight- 
ing for both ; and at it we went, and the result was I did 
him up ; for I always kept myself in good condition by 
using dumb-bells and taking other exercise. When I was 
twenty-five years old, I did not think there was a man in 
the world that could whip me in a bar-room or on the 
street. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 47 

After I got away with this gambler, they made up their 
minds that they would get a man who would make me 
squeal. We continued working the boats and making 
plenty of money, and every time we got out in the city 
both of us would lose a big sum of money ; and then per- 
haps I would have to fight, for they were looking for a 
man to start a fuss with me. One night we had been down 
to the lake and had a big supper, and we drove up oppo- 
site the St. Charles Hotel and went in. There were about 
twent3^-five gamblers standing in a saloon called the Jewel. 
I saw at a glance they were drinking and full ; I also saw 
two of my men that I had whipped previously. Well, I 
could not show the white feather, so I called for a basket 
of wine and invited all to join me, when one of the party 
stepped out into the middle of the room, took off his coat, 
and said : " I can whip any man in the room." I looked 
around, and saw it was a job to either kill or whip me. I 
saw at a glance I had only one friend in the house ; that 
was Captain Smoker, of the Vicksburg Packet Company, 
I knew he could be of no service to me. The door was 
locked. I turned to the challenger and said : " I know 
who you mean this for," and I untied my cravat. I had a 
single stone on my shirt that cost me $2,600. I took off 
my coat and vest, and handed them all to the barkeeper. 
The enemy was a powerfully built man, six feet and one 
inch high, and weighed thirty-five pounds more than my- 
self; at that time I weighed 195 pounds. Well, to tell you 
the truth, it was a pretty hard fight ; but I got one good 
lick at him with my head, and that won the battle for me. 
It took all the fight out of him. He said, " That will do." 
The doors were thrown open, and in less than a minute 
there were 1,000 people in there. 

We were both arrested and taken to the station-house, 
or calaboose, where we gave bail. Captain Smoker going 
on my bond. While they were signing our bonds, my op- 
ponent made some remark that I did not like, and I hit 
him a good crack in the neck and brought him down on 



48 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

his knees, but ihey parted us ; and the next day, when we 
appeared in court, the Judge said he had a notion to fine 
us $100 apiece for not sending for him, as he wanted to see 
it himself; "but I will let you go this time " The man's 
name was John Mortice, of Natchez, Miss. 

Well, to tell you the truth, I was pretty well used up ; 
but I staid in my room till I got all right again. We made 
several successful trips after that together. At last we 
parted, and he went to California, and soon after died. I 
was then king of the monte men, and did all of the play- 
ing myself. I got a man named Charlie Clark to do the 
capping for me, and we made a world of money. 

'' Eph "' Holland, Alexander, and I were coming out of 
the Red River one night. The boat was full of people, 
and a great many were playing poker. It was 2:30 
A. M., when a large and powerful man rushed out of the 
ladies' cabin with nothing on but his night-shirt, and with 
a large butcher-knife in his hand. He rushed to one of 
the tables, where there were seven seated, and before they 
could rise he plunged the knife up to the hilt in two of the 
men. I jumped up and ran out into the hall, determined 
to kill him if he made a break for me ; but the Captain 
hallooed at me, "Don't shoot; he is a crazy man." He 
had been brought on board at Alexandria by his wife, who 
was taking him to an asylum. He came rushing through 
the cabin towards the hall, and I snatched up a big iron 
poker ; for I made up my mind I would lay him out if he 
came within reach. He picked out another man and 
started for him, and they had it all around the guards. 
The poor fellow that he was after was almost scared to 
death. I jumped inside of the door, and as he came 
brandishing his knife I dealt him a heavy blow on the side 
of the head, which brought him down. We then got ropes 
and tied him, and kept him in that position till the engineer 
made hand-cufl's for him. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 49 

THE DAGUERROTYPE BOAT. 

" Good heaven! that sots and knaves should be so vain, 
To wish their vile remembrance may remain 
And stand recorded at their own request, 
To future days a libel or a jest." 

Before the war, " Eph " Holland, my partner Alexan- 
der, and myself were waiting for a boat at the mouth of 
the Red River. There was a little boat lying at the land- 
ing, nicely fitted up for a daguerrotype gallery, and I 
proposed to the boys that we have our pictures taken all to- 
gether, and I would pay for it, as I thought it would make 
a pretty group. They agreed, so we went on board the 
boat and let the artist take us all in a bunch. Holland was 
in the middle, and the picture flattered him ; so he insisted 
on having a dozen copies. I saw that the picture did not 
do me justice, so I wanted " Eph" to sit alone, telling him 
it would cost less. He said he would pay the bill, for he 
could see it was the contrast that showed him off to so 
great an advantage. Well, to please him we let the artist 
draw a bead on us eleven times more ; for at that time they 
could only take one picture at a shot. Holland paid the 
entire bill, which was so large that I asked the daguerro- 
type man if he would sell out. "Oh, no; I am making 
too much money," says he. Then I thought, I will try 
and get some of it ; at least the amount that poor *' Eph" 
had paid for his vanity. I told the old story of how I had 
lost my money, and began to throw the cards. I soon had 
them guessing ; Alexander turned up the corner of the 
winner, and then bet me $ioo that the artist could turn it. 
I took him up, and lost the money. The artist got excited 
and wanted to bet his money. The result was, I won all 
he had, and told him I would give him a chance to get 
even, and would bet all he had lost against his boat and 
contents. He accepted the proposition. Holland made out 
a bill of sale, the artist signed it, and in a short time he 
had lost his home and business. Then I said to him : 
4 



50 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

" You have played in bad luck, so I will pay you a sal- 
ary to manage the business for me." He accepted the 
employment. We bid him good bye, and took a boat for 
New Orleans. Two weeks later I saw my picture boat at 
Bayou Sara. I went on board, and my employe was 
glad to see me (or at least he said he was). I asked him 
about the business, and he told me he was losing money ; 
so I told him I would like to sell out. He wanted to know 
my price ; I told him $150. He offered me $40 cash and 
his note for the balance ; so I thought, as he had been 
losing money for two weeks, I had better sell. I have his 
note yet, and the first time I see Holland I am going to try 
and sell it to him. There was no money in the business 
for me, as it was outside of my line ; and I have come to 
the conclusion that a man should stick to his legitimate 
business. " Eph " Holland was sorry afterward that he 
ever had his picture taken in a group, for the next time he 
went to New Orleans he was arrested on the street and 
taken to the Chief's office, and there he saw his ** group " 
picture in the rogues' gallery. He tried to explain how it 
was that his picture came to be grouped with two well 
known horse-thieves, but the Chief couldn't see it. Then 
Eph sent for his friends, who went on his bond, and he 
was let off until the next morning. As he and his friends 
were leaving the Chief's office he caught sight of me, and 
then he "dropped," and said tome, "George, jo?^ gave that 
picture to the Chief." I said, "What picture?" Then 
Eph said, "Boys, come on; it's all on me." The 
Chief joined us ; and when Eph had settled the bill, he 
said to me, "George, the next time I have my picture 
taken I will go it alone." I said to him, " Eph, all is 
vanity and vexation of spirit." 

PITTSBURG'S BEST MAN. 

Before the war there were a great many coal boatmen 
traveling on the river. I was coming up at that time with 
Captain Forsyth, on the steamer Cambria. Some of the coal 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 5I 

boat crew traveled in the cabin, and others on deck. I got 
into a game with one of their bullies. They said he was the 
best man in Pittsburg. In the play I bested him out of a 
few hundred dollars, and he did not like it a bit. He went 
down on deck and told his party there was a boy up stairs 
who had won all his money. " If he comes on deck I 
will let you know, and we will throw him down and take 
the money away from him." The news came to me, and 
I prepared for the boys by putting my money and jewelry 
in the office, took my pistol and went down on deck. The 
bully was there ; he pointed me out to the gang. They 
commenced to gather around me. I backed up against a 
hogshead of sugar, telling them not to come any nearer to 
me or I would hurt some of them. They took the hint, 
but began to abuse me. The mate and some of the boat's 
crew came back into the deck-room, and then I com- 
menced to open out on them. " Now," said I to the bully, 
"perhaps you can whip me, but I can tell you in a few 
words you never saw a boy more willing to fight than my- 
self; and if you will give me a boy's show, we will see 
who is the best of the two." He said, " I can whip you in 
a minute ;" and so saying, he took off his coat. I threw 
mine off in quick time, ready for a fight. It was a good 
one. He hit me as hard as ever Sullivan hit a man ; but I 
kept dodging my head, so he would hit that, and he soon 
had his right hand as big as any man's head. I at last 
commenced to give it to him about the head pretty lively. 
And talk about a head ! His looked like the hind-quarter 
of a beef. Finally one of the crew called enough for him, 
for he was not able to do so. The}' carried the big bully 
up stairs and laid him. in his bed. To tell the truth, he 
was the toughest man I ever had anything to do with ; for 
he was a powerful man, weighed two hundred pounds, and 
could hit like a jack a-kicking. The Pittsburgers did hate 
to see their man get whipped, as he was their leader. The 
news went to Pittsburg, and they could hardly believe that 
he could get the worst of a rough-and-tumble fight. 



52 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

At one time I was crossing the levee at New Orleans 
about 6 o'clock, in the evening, when a big fellow jumped 
from behind a cotton bail and struck me on the head with 
an iron dray -pin, which he held in both hands. The blow 
staggered me, and I fell on my knees. I caught hold of 
the dray-pin until I recovered myself, when I got hold of 
him and took the pin out of his hand. I downed him, and 
was just getting ready to go to work, when the police 
rushed in and pulled me off. I would have given $ioo if 
they had let me alone just half a minute. They took us 
both to the lock-up. I put up money for both of us to 
appear, as I wanted to get at him again ; but he called on 
the police to accompany him to his place of business. He 
was a boss drayman, and a particular friend of a stevedore 
I had whipped a year previously, and he had it in for me. 

DIDN'T WIN THE BAGS. 

There v/as a man in New Orleans before the war that 
supplied the steamboat men with silver to pay their deck- 
hands. He could buy it at a discount, as it was a drug on 
the money market at that time. I have often seen him, 
with his two heavy leather bags, on his way from the bank 
to the boats. One day my partner (Charlie Bush) and I 
were in a saloon on Camp Street, when in walked the 
"silver man," carrying his heavy leather bags. I gave 
Bush the wink, and began throwing the cards on the 
counter. The man got stuck looking at the game ; and 
when Bush bet me $ioo and won it, he got more inter- 
ested and bet me the drinks, which I lost ; then he bet me 
the cigars, and I lost again. I then said to him: "You 
can't guess the winner for $500." He said, "I will bet 
you $100 I can." I told him I would not bet less than 
$500; then Bush said, " I will bet you," and we put up 
the money, and Bush won it. Old "silver" got excited 
when he saw Bush pocket the $500, and I said to him, " I 
will bet you $1,000 against the silver in the two bags." 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. ^3 

He knew there was not near $i,ooo in the bags, so he 
jumped them up on the counter, and said, " It's a go ;" and 
then he stood close and watched me throw them, until I 
said " Ready ;" then he made a grab, and turned over the 
wrong card. If he had been struck by lightning, he could 
not have acted more dazed. He dropped into a chair and 
lost all control of himself, and I felt a little sorry for him ; 
but "business is business." So I picked up the bags and 
started to go, when the fellow came to his senses and said : 
" Hold on ; you did not win the bags." I saw he had me 
on the bags ; and as I knew he had them made for the 
business, I said to him : " If you get me something to put 
the money in, you can have the bags." He jumped up 
and ran out ; and when he returned with a meal-sack, he 
found the barkeeper and his two bags, but not Bush and 
me. We had bought some towels of the barkeeper, 
dumped the silver into them and lit out, for fear that the 
little old silver man would bring back a '' cop" to hold us, 
in place of something to hold the silver. The little fellow 
was game, and did not say anything about his loss. The 
next time I met him he requested me to say nothing about 
the play ; and every time we met we would take a drink, 
and laugh over the joke. The last time I met my silver 
friend he was crippled up with the rheumatism so he could 
hardly walk, and he was " dead broke." I gave him $io 
(for past favors), and I have not seen him since ; and I 
expect he is now in his grave, for it has been many years 
ago since I won the silver, but not the bags. 

THE BLACK DECK-HAND. 

Charlie Clark and I left New Orleans one night on the 
steamer Duke of Orleans. There were ten or twelve rough 
looking fellows on board, who did their drinking out of 
private bottles. Charlie opened up shop in the cabin, and 
soon had a great crowd around him. I saw that the devils 
had been drinking too much, so I gave Charlie the v/ink, 



54 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

and he soon closed up, claiming to be broke. Then we 
arranged that I should do the playing, and he would be 
on the lookout. I soon got about all the money and some 
watches out of the roughs, besides I beat seven or eight of 
<he other passengers. They all appeared to take it good- 
naturedly at the time ; but it was not long before their loss, 
and the bad whisky, began to work on them. I saw there 
was going to be trouble, so I made a sneak for my room, 
changed my clothes, and then slipped down the back stairs 
into the kitchen. I sent word for Clark to come down. I 
then blackened my face and hands, and made myself look 
like a deck-hand. I had hardly finished my disguise, 
when a terrible rumpus up stairs warned me that the ball 
was open. The whisky was beginning to do its work. 
They searched everywhere ; kicked in the state-room doors, 
turned everything upside down, and raised h — 1 gener- 
ally. If they could have caught me then, it would have 
been good bye George. They came down on deck, 
walked past, and inquired of a roustabout who stood 
by me if he had seen a well-dressed man on deck. He 
told them " he had not seen any gemman down on deck 
afore they came down." They had their guns out, and 
were swearing vengeance. The boat was plowing her 
way along up the river ; the stevedores were hurrying the 
darkies to get up some freight, as a landing was soon to be 
made. The whistle blew, and the boat was headed for 
shore. Those devils knew I would attempt to leave the 
boat, so as soon as the plank was put out they ran over on 
the bank, and closely scanned the face of every one who 
got off. There was a lot of plows to be discharged, so I 
watched my chance, shouldered a plow, followed a long 
liae of coons, and I fairly flew past the mob. I kept on 
up the high bank and threw my plow on to the pile, and 
then I made for the cotton fields. I lay down on my back 
until the boat was out of sight, and then I came out, 
washed myself white, and took a boat for Vicksburg, 
where I met Clark the next day, and we divided the 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 55 

boodle that he had brought with him. He told me that 
after I had left the boat they got lights and went down into 
the hold, looking for me, as they were sure I was still on 
the boat. It was a pretty close call, but they were looking 
for a well-dressed man, and not a black deck-hand. 

HARD BOILED EGGS. 

I was going from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on the 
steamer Grand Dnke^ one New Year's eve, and had spent 
a great deal of money at the bar for wine. The barkeeper 
was an Italian with a great name, which was Napoleon. 
I'said to him, " Nap, I hear you have sixty dozen eggs on 
board; suppose you treat me to an eggnog." " Oh, no; 
me no treat ; if you pay, me make some." " If you don't 
treat me to an eggnog, I will quit buying wine," I said, 
and walked out. I went to Daniel Findley, the steward, 
and told him how stingy old "Nap" was to me. Dan 
said, "Never mind, George; I'll fix him and his eggs." 
He told the cook to fire up, and then get those sixty dozen 
eggs and boil them as hard as h — 1. After they were all 
hard-boiled, they put them into cold water, and then put 
them back into the box. I went back to the bar, and 
waited until Dan sent me word that all was ready ; then I 
said to old Nappy, "I was only in fun ; I wanted to see 
if you could make a good eggnog." " I make good 
eggnoggy as anybody," said Nap. " Well, I tell you 
what I will do ; if you will make enough to treat all the 
passengers, I will give you $io," I said. "All right," 
says he, and started to the storeroom to get his sugar, milk, 
eggs, etc. He soon returned, loaded down with stock. 
He got out his large bowl, and then cracked one of the 
eggs. It didn't crack to suit him ; he looked at it, and 
then said to me, " Lookey dat ! a chick in the first ^gg ! " 
He threw that one out of the window, and then cracked 
another, which was just like the first; then he said, "Me 
boughty the ^gg for fresh: no good: all rot." Then he 



56 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

broke another, and another, and finally he broke one open 
and found it hard boiled ; then he said, " Who biley the 
egg ? Me give five dollie to know who biley the egg ! " 
His Italian blood was up to fever heat, and it was some 
time before we could get a drink of any kind. He sold 
the eggs in market when we got to New Orleans. We did 
not have our eggnog that New Year's eve, but we had 
the best laugh at the expense of old Napoleon that I ever 
had in my life. 

" SNAP GAMES." 

I was coming down from the Memphis races on the 7P. 
W. Hill. There were about twenty-five gamblers on the 
boat, and they were all crazy for a game of faro. I told 
them I had a set of tools on board that I would loan them 
if they wanted to open. They accepted the offer, and 
took turns in opening "snaps." Some opened as high 
as $1,000 at a time. I was playing poker, and did not 
pay much attention to their game. x\fter supper I told 
them that I would open a $1,000 " snap," and they could 
tap it when they pleased. When I sat down to deal, I had 
a matched set of boxes ; you could not tell one from the 
other. One box was fixed for all the cases to lose, and 
this I kept secreted. They knocked me out of $400 in 
one deal ; on the next deal I shuffled up the same cards 
and put them in the box, so they could see that everything 
was on the square. As I did so, my partner tipped over a 
big lot of silver on the layout, which he had stacked up on 
purpose to draw their attention, and I came the change on 
the boxes and threw my liandkerchief over the box I held 
in my lap. Everything went on all right. The first case 
that showed on the case-keeper they all jumped on to play 
it open, as- they wanted to break the snap, as then I would 
open another ; but the case lost, and I was a good big 
winner over the last deal. When it came to another case, 
they played it to win, and it lost ; but they did not think 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI. 57 

.« 

anything was wrong, so they kept firing away till they 
were all pretty well crippled in money matters. They 
played the deal out, and nearly all were broke. At the 
end of the deal I said, *'Boys, I will have to quit you, as 
it is too much of a seesaw game;" and then they com- 
menced to smell a rat, and you would have given $ioo to 
have heard them cursing for not watching me shuffle that 
deal. The game closed with nearly all the money won ; 
some of them I had to loan money, to pay their ex- 
penses. 

THE JUERGUNSEN WATCH. 

I won a Juergunsen watch one time from a Jew. I put 
$i,ooo against it. After I got the watch the Jew came to 
me and said : " Look here, I want to tell you something. 
I bought that watch for $5. It is not worth that much, so 
help me gracious ; but 1 bought it for a brother on a farm, 
and he don't know the difference. I'll tell you what I do ; 
I will give you $10 for it, for I don't want to fool him, as I 
am going out there now." I told him it was good enough 
to give to a boy, and I would keep it for a black boy I had. 
" I tell you what I do ; rather than let a nigger boy get it, 
I'll give you $15." I said "No." He kept raising till he 
got to $400. As I knew I could get no more, I let him 
have it. After he got the watch he commenced to laugh 
and said he cheated me, for the watch cost him $600. I 
knew what they cost, for I had priced the same watches, 
and they were worth $600 at that time. It was one of 
the finest make, split seconds, and had an alarm. The 
cases were very heavy, with a diamond in the stem that 
would weigh a karat. The Jew thought he had beat me, 
but he seemed to forget that I had beat him first. 



^S i-ORTY YKARS A GAMBLER 



IT MADE A MAN OF HIM. 

" Yet fondly we ourselves deceive, 
And empty hopes pursue ; 
Though false to others, we believe 
She will to us prove true." 

On my way up the river on board the old steamer 
Natchez (the boat that was burned up during the war), 
I won some money and a check for $4,000 on the Louis- 
iana State Bank of New Orleans. The check was signed 
by one of the largest planters on the coast, and I knew it 
was good if presented before payment was stopped ; so I 
took passage on the Mary Kean (one of the fastest boats 
on the river), bound for New Orleans. We landed in the 
city about 4 o'clock Monday morning. I got a cab to take 
me down to the French market to get a cup of coffee be- 
fore going to my room. As I was passing the St. Louis 
Hotel on my way from the market, I saw a man that I rec- 
ognized as hailing from Cincinnati (I will not give his 
name). He appeared to be glad to see me ; but I could 
see he was not at his ease, so after a little while I thought 
I would sound him, so I said, "What was that trouble you 
got into in Cincinnati ? " He looked at me in surprise 
and said: '■' How did you hear about it ?" (there was no 
telegraph line from Cincinnati to New Orleans in those 
days). I told him it was all right, and he could trust me. 
I invited him to take breakfast with me ; he accepted the 
invitation, and told me he would tell me about himself 
when we were in a more private place. After breakfast 
we walked over to the bank, and I drew the $4,000 on the 
planter's check ; then we went to my room, and he told me 
his story. He was a bookkeeper for a large pork house ; 
became infatuated with a gay married woman, made false 
entries, and finally ran away with the enticing married 
woman. I advised him to put on a disguise, for I knew 
the police would soon be looking for him. He invited me 
to go with him and see his lady love, for said he, " She is 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 59 

one of the truest and best women in the world." I went 
with him, and met a very fine looking lady. I did not 
blame him very much for being infatuated ; but I wondered 
how much money did he get away with, and how" am I 
going to get my share ; for I always felt that it was m\' 
duty (as an honest man) to win stolen money. I soon 
found out he had about $8,000 of other people's money, 
and I wanted it. I first taught him to play poker, so he 
could be in with me the first time we caught a sucker. I 
got Clark to play the part, and he beat us out of $6,000, 
most of which was *' pork money." " The best and truest 
woman in the world " ran off with another fellow, which 
little thmg nearly broke my young friend's heart ; but in a 
short time he went to Galveston, Texas, got into a large 
cotton house, and the last time I saw him he said, "George, 
we live and learn. That little game made a man of me." 

THE COTTON MAN. 

My partner and I were waiting at the mouth of Red 
River for a boat to take us to New Orleans. There was a 
man who had twelve bales of cotton on the wharf, and he 
was also waiting for a boat. I told my partner to get ac- 
quainted with him, and to keep away from me. The result 
was they were good friends when a boat arrived. We all 
took passage, the cotton was loaded, and we were on our 
way. I opened up the three-card racket ; my partner won 
$100, and then the cotton man was crazy, for he did not 
have any money to bet. My partner told him he would 
loan him some on his cotton. They went to the clerk, who 
made out a hill of sale for' the twelve bales. He got the 
money, and then he was happy, for he was sure of doubling 
it with me. He was happy but for a short time. I had all 
his money, and my partner had all of his cotton, so he 
(being a good friend) let him have some money to pay his 
expenses. He did not remain long, so the cost was not 
very heavy. The cotton was worth about I2| cents per 



6o FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

pound at that time, but during the war it was many times 
that price. I was never very much stuck on cotton, as it 
was too bulky to get away with in case you had to leave a 
boat in a hurry. 

TAUGHT A LESSON. 

I was playing poker with a man, who, after I had broke 
him, went to a gentlernan friend of his and promised him 
twenty-five dollars for the loan of $500 until he got home. 
As he was worth a great deal of money, his friend loaned 
him the $500. After he got a new stake, he came to me 
and wanted to renew the play. I had played a square 
game, and, believing him to be a gentleman, I sat down to 
play the same way ; but I soon saw he thought himself a 
better player than myself, so I lit into the new stake, and 
it was not long until I had him broke again. Then he went 
to the Captain and set up a great kick. The Captain said 
to him, " If you had won the money, would you have 
given it back? " He said, " Captain, I give you my word 
of honor that I would." " Then," says the Captain, ' Why 
did you pay twenty-five dollars for the loan of the money? " 
"Oh," says he, "I only wanted to teach him a lesson.' 
** Well," says the Captain, " If you pay twenty-five dollars 
every time you want to teach such men as he is a lesson, 
you will soon get broke. I can't do anything for you, my 
fine fellow." 

The passengers laughed at him, and some called him 
" a good teacher " (and that broke him all up). He soon 
sneaked ofi' to his room, and that was the last I saw of my 
teacher. 

SINKING OF THE BELLE ZANE. 

I was a passenger on the steamer Belle Zane during 
the winter season, and navigation was expected to be closed 
soon, as the river was full of floating ice. We had a large 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 6l 

number of passengers on board, and were getting along 
very well until we left the Ohio. We had left Cairo, and 
were steaming down the Mississippi, when the boat struck 
a snag, and in a very short time had sunk down to the 
cabin. It was about four o'clock in the morning, but I was 
up (as usual). We had the passengers out of their rooms 
in quick time, and got them up on the roof in their night 
clothes, as there was no time for them to dress. In a few 
moments the cabin separated from the deck, floated off, and 
then sank down until we were standing in the ice and water 
nearly knee deep. It was a terrible sight ; such a one as 
I hope and pray I may never see again. Men, women, 
and children standing amid the floating ice nearly frozen 
to death, and expecting every moment to sink into a watery 
grave. Some were screaming for help, others were pray- 
ing, whfle others stood as if they were lost. I caught up 
one poor woman, who was nearly frozen to death, and held 
her in my arms above the water. Others did the same, 
while the crew and some of the passengers tore the boards 
off" of the pilot-house, and tried to paddle the wreck to 
shore. We floated down until we struck a point. The men 
that were doing the paddling jumped ofl' onto the shore, 
and then held on to the wreck until they swung it around 
into an eddy. We got all the passengers off", but it was 
about a mile to the nearest house.* We were all nearly 
freezing, and there was not one of us that did not have our 
feet frozen. We had no fire, nor any way to make one. 
Some of us who were lucky enough to have coats took them 
off, and wrapped up the women and children. We then 
took them to a house that was about a mile distant, and the 
good people did all in their power to make us comfortable. 
The news reached Cairo, and thev sent a boat, with blank- 
ets, provisions, and medical aid to our relief. Three or four 
men jumped overboard, and tried to swim ashore, but got 
chilled, and were drowned. Some of the women were frozen 
so badly that they did not survive. I feel the effect in my feet 
to this day, and the accident happened over thirty years ago. 



62 li^ORTY YEARS A GAMBLFiR 



JEW VS. JEW. 

** When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war." 
When Jew meets Jew, they want each other's gore. 

We were going down the river from Baton Rouge at one 
time, and I had an old fellow with me they called "Jew 
Mose." There was a young Jew from Vidalia on board, 
and Mose got him into a game of euchre. We had not 
played long until the young Jew said, " I have got a good 
poker hand." Mose spoke up and said, " My hand is 
worth ten dollars." Then the young one put up his mone}'^ ; 
and as Mose had nothing, he backed out. I saw Vidalia 
had some nerve and money, so on my deal I ran up two 
hands, giving the young one four kings and the old one 
four aces. Mose said, " I have a poker hand." Vidalia 
says, " My hand is worth twenty-five dollars," and he put 
up. I tipped my hand to him, and raised it $ioo, at the 
same time giving Mose the office not to raise, as I thought 
it was all the fellow would stand. They both called ; we 
showed down, and Mose had won the money. He made a 
reach for it, when Vidalia made a grab, but Mose was too 
quick for him. Then the young one jumped up and said 
to Mose, "You are a Jew and I'm a Jew, and you shan't 
have my money.'' Mose would not give up, so at it they 
went. They hit, bit, scratched, gouged, and pulled hair, 
until they were rolling around in each other's gore. Every- 
body came running to see what had broke loose, and it was 
ducks to see those two fellows fight. Neither would give 
up, and it is no telling how long the circus tumbling would 
have kept up, if the officers of the boat had not separated 
them. After the fight the cabin looked as if we had been 
fighting a half-dozen Newfoundland dogs from the amount 
of blood and black hair that was on the floor. The young 
one told Mose if he ever came to Vidalia he would lick 
him, so we supposed from that remark that he did not feel 
satisfied with the result. Poor old Mose did not live long 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 6^ 

enough to visit Vidalia so the young one could make his 
word good for he went up to Chicago, and soon after died. 

BEAT A GOOD HAND. 

I beat a man at poker out of $1,200 on the steamer 
WtVd Wagoner. After he quit playing he asked me where 
I would get off. I told him at the mouth of Red River. 
When I left the boat I saw my friend had concluded to stop 
at the same place. It was not long before an officer called 
on me to take a walk with him, and he said, " We will go 
up and see the Judge." When we arrived at his Honor's 
place of business, I found that my twelve-hundred-dollar 
friend was there before me. The Judge spoke to him 
before he did to me, and said, " How did this man swindle 
you out of your money ? " " We were playing poker, your 
Honor." "Do you call playing poker swindling ? " said 
the Judge. " Well, your Honor, he must have swindled 
me ; for every time I had a good hand he would beat it," 
said he. " If that is all the evidence you have, the case is 
closed, the defendant is dismissed, and you will be held for 
the costs," said his Honor. I told the Judge I would pay 
the costs if he would let the fellow go. He accepted the 
proposition, and that night I had the honor of playing in 
the same game with the Judge, and I played a square game 
for once in my life, for fear I would have another friend 
who would want to see me at his Honor's office. 

THEY PAID THE COSTS. 

I had beat a man out of $600 on the railroad from New 
Orleans to Jackson. I saw that if I got off he would put 
me to some trouble, so I kept on until I got to Canton, 
twenty-five miles above. He followed me there, and had 
me arrested. The trial was to come off in an hour, as it 
was meal time with the Judge. We were all assembled in 
he court-room, and the Judge wanted him to tell how I 



64 I'ORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

got his money. He said, " I could sliow you, Judge, if I 
hud some cards." I pulled out some of the same cards I 
beat him Vv'ith, and gave them to the Judge, and he wanted 
to know how they could bet money on the three cards. I 
said, "Judge, I will show you so you can understand." 
I took the cards and mixed them over a few times, telling 
the Judge to watch the jack. He did watch it, and he 
could turn it over every time, as one of the corners of the 
jack was turned up, and he said it was as fair a game as he 
ever saw. I told him I had two chances to his one ; so he 
dismissed the case. I came near giving it to the Judge for 
a few dollars, and then give them back ; but I thought best 
not to do so. 

When the fellow went out of the court-room, the Canton 
boys laughed at him and called him a fool. After he left, 
the Judge and I went over to a saloon and had some cigars. 
He said he dearly loved to play poker ; but I did not want 
any of his game, as I thought I might need him again 
some time ; and it proved I was right, for it was not long 
after that I was coming down on the train from Vicksburg, 
and beat five or six of the passengers out of a few hundred 
dollars. When we got to Canton we were behind time and 
missed connection, and had to lay over until night. They 
had me arrested for the same trick, and taken before the 
same Judge ; and you ought to have heard him after he, 
found out how they had lost their money, for he just gave 
them a good old-fashioned turning over. He called them 
a lot of babies, and put the costs of the court on them. I 
got the Judge a box of fine cigars, and went down on the 
same train ; but I was in (.he sleeper, and they did not see 
me until I got to New Orleans. I played poker in the 
sleeper all the wa}^ to the city, and did not lose very much, 
as the game was small, and we played on the square. I met 
some of them at the opera the same night, and they had 
their opera glasses pointed at me for some time. I guess 
they wondered how I got there so soon. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 65 



MY FIRST LOVE. 

"Love gives esteem, and then he gives desert; 
He either finds equality, or makes,it. 
Like death, he knows no difference in degrees, 
But frames and levels all." 

There was a dance in the cabin of the steamer Magnolia 
one night, which was a fine affair, as there were a great 
many wealthy people on board. I had not done any play- 
ing on the boat, so I put on my good harness, and went 
back into the ladies' cabin to join in the dance. I was 
introduced to a number of fine ladies, among whom was a 
beautiful young widow. She joined me in a waltz, another 
dance, and a promenade on the guards. I thought her the 
most agreeable and sweetest woman I had ever met in my 
life. I was in her society most of the time, until the danc- 
ing ceased, and then I bade her " good night, good night ; 
parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night 
till it be morrow." 

I met the fascinating widow the next day, and before I 
bade her good-by I had received a pressing invitation to 
visit her at her plantation ; and, "boys," you can bet your 
life it was not long before I availed myself of the oppor- 
tftnity. During my visit I received every attention. The 
negroes could not have done more for their master. There 
was a nice lake on the plantation. The servants would 
drive the lady and I over to it, and we would enjoy our- 
selves at fishing for a few hours. On our return she would 
play and sing for me, and as I sat and looked at her I thought. 
What would I give if I was a square man, and how happy 
I could be with such a woman as my wife. I did not tell 
her my business, for fear she would think less of me. I 
could not endure the deception, so after three days of hap- 
piness I tore myself away, feeling as if T was '* unfixed 
for life." In a short time she visited relatives in New 
Orleans, and sent me an invitation to call ; but as I was ac- 
quainted with her friends, the same old dread came upon 
5 



66 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

me, so I declined, with the excuse that I was compelled to 
leave the city that same evening on the steamer 'Judge 
McLean. We met again on board a steamer. She had 
been told my business, but she treated me more kindly than 
ever before. She begged me to quit gambling, and settle 
down. I partly agreed to do as she wished. We spent a 
very pleasant time together (for I would not attend to busi- 
ness while she was on the same boat). 

Before she left the steamer she took off a large single- 
stone diamond ring, and said to me, " Wear this until we 
meet again." I tried to refuse it, but she insisted ; so I, at 
last accepted the token. I bade her good-by at the stage- 
plank, and went up on deck. She remained on the levee, 
waiving her handkerchief (and I returned the compliment) 
until we were out of sight. I talked to the clerk until I felt 
that I was myself again, and then I started out to find a 
sucker ; for I had enjoyed the pleasure before business. 

It was about three months before I saw my lady love 
again. I was glad to see her, and she appeared to be 
pleased at meeting me. Before we parted I put the ring 
back on her finger, but she said she did not want it ; 
and I believe she meant what she said. I received another 
invitation to visit her at her plantation, which I have neg- 
lected to this day, and that has been over thirty years ago. 
I have often thought what a different man I might have 
been if I had accepted that last invitation. There is one j 
thing that I am sure of, and that is, if I had married my - 
•'first love," I would not now be writing "Forty Years a j 
Gambler on the Mississippi." 

THE BOYS FROM TEXAS. j 

I got on the steamer B. L. Hodge at Baton Rouge, 
bound for New Orleans. It was on a New Year's eve ; 
everybody was feeling jolly, and I felt somewhat that way 
myself. There were five tables of poker going at one ! 
time, so I opened up the good old game of monte for the I 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 67 

benefit of a lot of Texas boys that didn't play poker. 
They all got around the table and watched me throw. In 
a short time my capper came up and wanted me to show 
him how to play the game. I showed him, and he wanted 
to bet a dollar. I told him if that was all the money he 
had, he had better keep it. He got as mad as a wet hen, 
and told me he had just as much money as I had. He 
pulled out a big roll and slashed down $i,ooo, saying, 
"I will bet you I can turn the winner." I said, " You can't 
bluflT me," and I put up. He turned one of the cards and 
lost. While I was putting the money away, he picked up 
the cards and turned up a corner on the winner, letting the 
boys see what he had done; then he said to me, "Mix 
them up again," which I did, and he put down a roll, 
claiming it to be $500. He turned and won. Then the 
boys began to nudge each other and get nervous. The 
capper then said, " I will let it all lay, and bet you again." 
He turned and caught me for $1 ,000 ; and then you should 
have seen the boys from Texas. There never was such a 
cutting of cloths. One fellow pulled off his new coat and 
cut the lining nearly all to pieces ; another took ofT his 
coat, vest, and shirt, for his money was sewed up in his 
undershirt ; others had their money down their boot legs 
tied to a string, so that they could pull it up when they 
wanted it. They all wanted it just then, and they were in 
the biggest hurry of any suckers I ever saw. They all put 
up their pile, except two or three who had more than the 
rest. I told them to pick out one boy to turn the card, so 
they selected Jim, who was their leader. Jim made a grab 
for the sure thing ; but when he turned it over, all the boj^s 
were stcre they had lost their money. They took it good- 
naturedly, and said it was fair. One said I was the great- 
est man in the world, and if he could do it as slick as I did 
he could get all the money out in their country. I prom- 
ised that I would come out and see them, and that they 
would all be in with me. I did not say just when I would 
keep my promise ; and as I do not like too many partners, 



68 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

I have put it off over thirty years, in hopes that some of 
the boys would give it up and move out of the country, so 
if a slick man did get all of their money he would not have 
to divide up so often. 

MARKED CARDS. 

While waiting for a boat at Donelsville to take me to 
New Orleans, I fell in with a fellow who proposed a game 
of cards to pass the time until the boat arrived. We went 
into a saloon and sat down to play a game of poker. He 
brought out an old deck of marked cards (which I recog- 
nized the minute I saw them). We began to play. I 
knew the fellow took me for a sucker, so I let him play me 
with " his cards" until I got a chance to down him, which 
I did for all he had, amounting to about $80. About this 
time some one announced that a boat was coming, so I 
proposed to quit; but Mr. "Gambler" did not want any 
quit in his, so long as he was loser and he had a sucker. 
I knew he had but little (if any) money left, so I quit and 
started for the landing. The boat had arrived, and was 
just about ready to leave, when an officer stepped up to me 
and said, " I have a warrant for your arrest." " The h — 1 
you have ! What have I done ?" "- You have swindled a 
gentleman out of his money, sir," says he. "All right, 
sir ; I will go with you." He took me before a magistrate, 
and there was the fellow who had played the marked 
cards on me. The Justice wanted to know how I had 
swindled him. He said : " He put up the cards on me in 
a game of poker, and he is a gambler." You ought to 
have heard that old fellow give it to me. He said : " How 
dare you, sir, come in this place and rob our respectable 
citizens out of their money ? I will teach you a lesson 
that you will not soon forget." He was going on in this 
strain, when I stopped him by saying, " Hold on, your 
Honor; I would like to say a word." "Go on, sir." 
" Well," says I, " this man invited me to play a game of 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 69 

poker with him, and when we sat down to play he brought 
out this old deck of marked cards on me, and I happened 
to know them as well, if not better than he did. He took 
me for a sucker, and I beat him at his own game. He 
calls me a gambler, but he is much worse ; for he attempted 
to rob me with those marked cards." " Show me the 
marks on those cards," said the Justice ; so I walked up 
and began reading the cards by their backs to him. He 
watched me as I read the cards, until I called a ten spot 
and turned it over ; then he grabbed it up and examined 
the back, and said: "Hold on; that will do; this is the 

same deck those d d rascals have been playing on me ; 

for the other night this ten of hearts fell in the spit, and 
here is the mark on it now. They have been swindling 
me for the last six months." Then turning to me, he said : 
"You are dismissed; but I will fine this rascal $50 and 
costs, and send him to jail if he does not pay it immedi- 
ately." I thanked the Justice for his just decision, and 
took the next boat for New Orleans. 

MY CROOKED PARTNER. 

My partner, Hugh Foster, and I were on board the 
Elonzo Childs^ bound for New Orleans. Foster had the 
reputation of being a wolf, and I did not have much use 
for him. He was acquainted with a man on board that 
claimed to have a man who had five thousand dollars, and 
he could make him lose against monte, but he wanted half 
or there would be no play. Foster told him to get his man 
into a state-room, and they would win the money, and not 
let Devol know anything about it. So Foster came to me 
and said, "George, we will not try to do anything until 
after we leave Cairo, will we ? " " No," I said ; " I want 
all the sleep I can get." Foster said he felt tired, and 
would go to bed. I knew that the sneak had some scheme 
on hand, so I went to my room, but I did not go to bed ; I 
went out the back door and up on the roof, where I could 



70 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

see what was going on down in the cabin. I had not been 
on watch very long until I saw Foster come out of his 
room, and in a short time go into another with two gentle- 
men. I slipped down off the roof, went out on the guards 
and called all the men into the barber shop. I told them I 
had a new game that I wanted to show them. It was a 
new game to them, and they were very much interested in 
it, as I let them win several small bets. After I got them 
well worked up, I said : " Now, gentlemen, I will not take 
any more small bets, but will bet $i,ooo that no one can 
turn the jack the first time. Just then the barkeeper came 
in, and I said : " I will bet you $500 that you can't turn 
the jack." He counted out the money and put it up. I 
mixed them, and he turned up the winner. He then 
walked out, and I knew if there was any big money I 
would get it. I began to mix them again, when up 
stepped a big fellow and asked me what was the least 
I would bet. I sized him up, and then I said $1,000. 
He pulled out and put up. I counted out the same amount 
and put it up on my side of the table, so if there would be 
any snatching I could get there in time. I then saw he 
had some left, so I said I would back out and treat. That 
made him very anxious, and he said, " No, I will not let 
you back out." Then I said, " If you will not let me out, 
I will bet you $2,000, as I might as well be hung for an 
old sheep as a lamb." He put up the $2,000 and turned the 
card ; but as I had two chances to his one, he made the 
same mistake that thousands had made before, and turned 
the wrong one. He walked off without a word, and sat 
down on the guards. I kept an eye on him ; but he was 
game, and took his medicine just as I had taken it many a 
time at the bank. I kept on playing until I had taken in 
all the pan-fish and a large white diamond stud that was 
worth about $r,ooo. Then I closed up shop and invited 
all to join me in a drink. They all accepted except 
my $2,000 friend. He was too busy thinking how it was 
that he had turned the wrong card, when he could see so 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 7 1 



» 



plainly that the right card had one corner bent. While we 
were drinking, in came Foster, and he looked as if he had 
just been pulled out of the river ; for it was a very hot 
day, and the fellow had been in a close state-room for an 
hour, and had not won a cent. I said, '* You look warm ; 
come and join us in a drink." He took a drink, saying : 
*'Itwas so hot I could not sleep." I took the diamond 
stud out of my pocket and showed it to the barkeeper. 
Foster saw it, and said : " George, I did not know that you 
had that stone." " What will you give for it?" said I. 
He looked at it, then offered me $500. I told him he could 
have it, so he paid me the money and put the stud in his 
shirt. In a few moments after he got the stone, a gentle- 
man said to him: "That is a very fine stone; I am ac- 
quainted with the gentleman who lost it ; he is a large 
jeweler in St. Louis."' " You must be mistaken," said 
Foster. " Oh, no, I am not ; for I saw him lose it in the 
barber shop about half an hour ago." Foster^came to me 
and said: " George, you did not make a play, did you ?" 
" Oh, yes ; did you not make one yourself ? " That made 
him look sick ; but when a friend of mine came up and 
said, " Devol, you must have won $4,000 in that play," 
then he looked sicker. I said, '* Yes, I guess I got about 
$4,000 out of it, and I will treat." While we were drink- 
ing, the barkeeper handed me the $500 he had won. I 
gave him $200 for his cap ; and then Foster began to give 
me taffy. I told him I did not want anything more to do 
with him ; that I had heard he was a sneak, etc. He gpt 
off at Cairo, and I was glad to get rid of him. I had a 
good wheel game down to Memphis, where I got off and 
lost $2,500 against faro. I took a boat for New Orleans, 
and made more than I lost in Memphis before I reached 
the city. 



iJ2 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

JUDGE DEVOL. 

I was on board the Cziy of Louisiana, bound for New 
Orleans. There was a large number of passengers, and a 
heavy load of freight. The roof was literally covered 
with coops full of chickens and turkeys. I had old monte 
running in full blast, but the chicken men could not bet, 
as they were going to market instead of coming away. 
They were so very much interested in the game that they 
forgot to watch their coops. After a while one of them 
went up, and found that some one had stolen some of his 
chickens. The pilot told him he saw the man taking 
them, so he went down and told the Captain, and he sent 
for the pilot to pick out tlie thief. They found him and 
brought him into the cabin, when some one proposed to 
try him by judge and jury ; so they elected me judge, and 
1 impaneled a jury. We heard the evidence, and the 
attorneys made their arguments. Then 1 charged the 
jury, and they retired to the bar-room (as we did not have 
any regular jury room). They were out about as long as 
as it would take a first-class barkeeper to make up twelve 
drinks, and then they filed back into the court-room, each 
one putting his handkerchief away, as if they had all been 
crying over the awful verdict they were about to render. 
I asked the foreman if they had agreed upon a verdict, 
and he said, " We have, your Honor." Just at this time 
there was some commotion in the court-room (occasioned, 
no doubt, at the sight of the twelve handkerchiefs). I 
told the sheriff to rap for order, but it was some little time 
before it could be restored. I then told the jury to stand 
up and hear their verdict. The foreman read the verdict, 
which was: "We, the jury, find the defendant guilty." 
I then told the defendant to stand up and hear his sen- 
tence. "You are to return the chickens to their owner, 
pay a fine of six bottles of wine and the costs of this suit, 
and be imprisoned in the bar-room until the fine and costs 
are paid " 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 73 

As there were no other cases on the docket, I ordered 
Ihe sheriff to adjourn court (to the bar). The sheriff went 
up with the man who had lost the chickens, and they 
picked out three dozen. When they came down and 
reported to me that they had returned three dozen chick- 
ens, the criminal yelled out that he had only taken one 
dozen. The poor fellow did not have the money to pay 
for the wine, so he had to give a bill of sale for his 
chickens. 

After all of my judicial duties were performed, and 
while the bar (of justice) was full of people, and the people 
were full (of what they got at the bar), I opened up the 
dear little three-card racket, and in a short time I owned 
every chicken and turkey on the roof of that boat. 

What to do with my live stock I did not know. I had 
a bill of sale from the chicken men, but what I wanted 
just then was a chicken buyer. I at last had an offer 
from the second clerk which was much less than the market 
value ; but as I never had much use for anything I could 
not put in my pocket, I accepted his offer and sold out. 
The chicken men had no business in New Orleans, as they 
had sold in transit, and not one of them had any money ; 
so I called them up to the office, and gave each one money 
enough to take him back to Cairo. 

MY PARTNER ALEXANDER. 

I went on board the steamer Im-perial at Memphis, 
bound for New Orleans. It was ten o'clock at night, and 
I did not think of doing any business until the next day. 
While standing talking to the barkeeper, a man walked in 
and proposed to shake him for the drinks. They shook, 
and the stranger lost. He then proposed to shake for five 
dollars, and asked me if I would come in and make it 
three-handed. I said I would for a time or two. We 
shook, and he was a little loser, when he wanted to make 
it ten dollars. I consented, but the barkeeper dropped out. 



74 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

We sat down, and soon were shaking for $ioo a game. 
V/e were drinking during the time, and it wavS not very- 
long until I had won $1,300. The fellow was pretty full, 
so I thought I would complete the "filling," and then he 
would go to bed. As I expected, it was not long before he 
turned in, and I was at liberty to look around. I went into 
the cabin, and found three games of poker in full blast. I 
was looking on at one of the games, when I noticed a man 
looking at me. He gave me a sign, and I walked out on 
the guards. He followed me and said, "You do not re- 
member me ; my name is Alexander ; I met you in St. 
Louis over a year ago. I heard that you and Clark had 
split up, and I am. now on my way to New Orleans to meet 
you, for I want to go to work."' I told him that I 
was alone, and that we would begin our work on the 
morrow. We were in the barber shop the next day, when a 
man came to me and told me that he was a brother of Mike 
Carroll, and he wanted to cap for me. As I knew Carroll 
well, I told him to go ahead. We were playing monte, and 
I had beat a man out of twenty-six twenty-dollar gold pieces. 
AVhen we came to settle up there was one gold piece miss- 
ing, so I said, "Boys, there is one gold piece short." 
Alexander proposed a search, and Carroll said, " I have 
not got a cent, and that is why I wanted to cap, in order to 
pay my passage." We commenced the search, and when 
we took oft' Carroll's hat the gold piece dropped out ; so I 
paid his passage and let him go. 

At the expiration of four years, Alexander showed me 
receipts for money he had sent to his home in Dover, Ky., 
amounting to $44,000, and he was not a stingy man, either ; 
for he was a good liver and dresser, and I have known him 
often to spend as much as $200 in one night for wine, etc. 
He has often talked to me about playing the bank, and 
wanted me to quit it ; and I can now see if I had taken his 
advice I might have been worth forty times $44,000. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 7$ 



THE QTJADROON GIRL. 

I got on the Belle Key one afternoon at Vicksburg ; and 
as I claimed to be a planter from White River, I soon be- 
came acquainted with some planters that lived on the coast. 
There was a game of poker started, and I was invited to 
sit in. We played until supper was ready. I had played 
on the square, and had won a few hundred dollars. After 
supper they got up a dance, and that spoiled the game. I 
was sitting in the hall, when one of the planters came to 
me and said, " Don't you dance ?" " No, I don't care to 
dance where I am not acquainted." " You are like me in 
that respect ; I had rather play poker ; but as those gentle- 
men who were playing in the game to-day have all got 
their families on board, they will not play, so what do you 
say to us having a game?" I said I did not care to play 
a while, but I would rather be a little more private, and 
that we might go up into the texas and play. We got the 
checks at the bar (and the barkeeper did not forget a deck 
of my cards). We went up and had just got seated, when 
up came my partner and said, " Gentlemen, are you going 
to sport a little?" "We are; will you join us?" said the 
planter. "What are you going to play?" *' Poker, 
of course." He sat in, and then it was a very nice, 
gentlemanly game. We played on the square for a 
while (that is, if the cards had been square). Finally I 
could put it off no longer, so I ran up two hands, giving 
the planter three eights, and then downed him for over 
$400. We played a little while longer, and then I ran up 
two more hands, and guarded them so that nothing could 
fall in that time. I gave my partner the best hand, and he 
took in about $600. The planter was then over $1,000 
loser, so he excused himself for a few minutes, and I knew 
that he had gone after more money. He soon returned 
with $1,500, and that lasted him about one hour. He got 
up and said, " Boys, I must have some more money." My 



76 FORTY YEARS A GAMBI-SR 

partner and I went down with him, as I did not think he 
could get any more. We were at the bar taking a drink, 
when he turned to me and said, " I would like to play some 
more, but I can't get any more money, unless you will loan 
me some on my negro, as I have one on board that I paid 
$1,500 for, and she is one of the most likely girls you ever 
saw." I winked at my partner to loan him some money on 
his wench. He went back and brought out one of the 
prettiest quadroon girls, about seventeen years old, that I 
ever saw. My partner loaned him $1,000, and got the 
clerk to draw up a bill of sale ; then we resumed the game ; 
but that did not last him but about half an hour, for I beat 
him out of nearly the whole amount on one hand, and that 
broke up the game. He had but seventy-five dollars left. 
We went down and took a drink, and then went to bed. 
The next day he got the money and redeemed his girl ; 
then he said to me, " I have got about $700, so let us go 
up and play single-handed. We went up, and I soon got 
that money. He said, "In all my poker playing, I never 
played so unlucky in my life. He went to my partner and 
borrowed $1,000 more on the girl, and I took that in. He 
then went to Captain Keys, and tried to borrow the money 
to redeem his girl again, but the Captain would not loan it 
to him. He found a man that loaned him the money, and 
he redeemed her again. He was considerable loser, but he 
got some more wine in him, then he wanted more poker ; 
but I told my partner not to have anything more to do with 
his negro, for it was making too much talk on the boat al- 
read3^ When he got to his landing, he and his negro left 
the boat, and I tell you she was a dandy. 

THE CAPTAIN SPOILED THE GAME. 

I was coming out of New Orleans one night on the 
Ohio Belle, a Cincinnati boat, and she was full of good 
looking suckers. I went out on the guards and called them 
all into the cabin, and opened up monte. They all gathered 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. *JiJ 

around the table, and among them was the Captain of the 
boat, who insisted on betting. I said to him, "You are 
the Captain of the boat, and I do not want to bet with you." 
He kept insisting that his money was just as good as any- 
body's, and he put up $300. I gave my capper the office to 
take him away, but he would not have it. I then told him 
I would not bet less than $500. He called to the clerk to 
bring him $200, and then he put up $500. I told him not to 
bet if the loss would distress him, when he told nie it was his 
money. I told him to turn the card, for I saw it was the only 
way to get rid of him. He turned, and lost ; then he got mad, 
and made me close up. I had no intention of keeping his 
money, so I walked out on the guards, and then up on the 
roof, where I found him. I said, " Here is your money ; I 
did not want you to bet, and you have knocked me out of 
many a good dollar." He was surprised to get his money 
back, and he said he bet in good faith. I talked to him 
until he told me I could open up again, and then I told him to 
give me the $500, and so soon as I got opened up, for him to 
come up and make a play, and I would let hini wm it back. 
I went down and called all the boys into the cabin again, 
and had just begun to throw them, when up stepped the 
Captain and said, " I lost once, but I will try it again." 
So he put up and won the money. Then he walked away. 
Then a sucker pulled out his wallet, and offered to bet me 
$500. I saw he had plenty left, so I said, " 1 will not bet 
less than $1,500." While he was hesitating, my partner 
came forward and said he did not have that much money, 
but he would bet $1,000 that he could turn the winner. I 
took him up and he lost. Then the sucker was all excite- 
ment, for he saw that he didn't turn the card with the cor- 
ner turned up, so he wanted to bet $1,000. I would not bet 
less than $1,500, so he at last put up. I gave them one 
more shuffle, and then he was so nervous that he turned the 
wrong card. It made him so sick that he went out on the 
guards and threw up his supper. The balance of the 
suckers did not want to get sick, so I closed up ; but if it 



tj8 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

had not been for the Captain's first play, I would have done 
a much better business on that boat. Such is luck. 



TOO SICK TO FIGHT. 

I was playing poker on the steamer Ca-pitol with a 
negro trader, and had won some money from him, when 
he got up and went down on the boiler deck. In a Httle 
while he came back followed by an old black woman, and 
wanted me to loan him $1,500 on her. She was too old 
for me, so I told him I was not keeping a pawn-shop ; but 
my partner told him he would loan him $i,opo on her, if 
he would make out a bill of sale. The bill was made out, 
and he got the money. We began another game, and in 
about half an hour I had his $1,000; for we were play- 
ing with my cards, and they never went back on me or 
told me a lie. He went off, borrowed some more money, 
and wanted to renew the game ; but as he was getting very 
drunk, I dechned to play with him any longer. Then he 
set up a kick, and said he had been cheated. I told him 
all suckers talked that way when they lost their money. 
That made him hotter than ever, and he wanted to fight. 
I told him I was sickly and could not fight ; so he left me 
to find my partner, to buy his old woman back again. I 
never refused to sell a nigger I had won, if any one would 
give me anything near the value ; and I never had any use 
for old nigjjer women. 

THE GAMBLER DISGUISED. 

I started out one night on the Crystal Palace. The 
boat left New Orleans about 6 o'clock in the evening. 
After supper I opened monte. There were some rough 
customers from Greenville, and I knew if they lost their 
money there would be the devil to pay ; but I took the 
chances, and caught some of them for a few hundred dol- 
lars, and there were some two or three of the passengers 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 79 

who also lost. After the Greenville killers had lost their 
money they commenced to fill up, and I knew there would 
be war soon. I closed up, slipped around and got on an- 
other suit of clothes, put on m}^ plug hat and gold glasses. 
Then I gave m)^ valise to the porter and told him to have 
it ready to go off at Donaldsonville. I walked out in the 
cabin ; they were all standing b}^ the bar holding a consul- 
tation how they could get the money back. One said : 
" The first time the boat stops he will get off." " Well, if 
he does he is a good one, for I will fill his hide full of lead 
if he tries that," says another. The boat blew her whistle 
to land, and you ought to have seen them break for the 
lower deck, gun in hand. I walked out through the 
cabin with my plug hat, white necktie, and gold glasses. 
You would have bet $500 that I was a preacher. You 
ought to have seen those fellows make room for me to pass 
by. My partner remained on board, as they were not 
on to him. I got a boat soon after and went to Baton 
Rouge, where my partner was waiting for me. He said 
they raised the d — 1 after I got off. 

MARRIED HIS MONEY. 

I was on board the steamer H. R. W. Hill going up 
the river and had got my work in, and what money I had 
accumulated was at poker. We landed at Natchez, and 
most all that were playing in the game got off. After sup- 
per I was sitting on the guards smoking, when a man came 
up and commenced conversation about gambling. He 
said : "I love to gamble, but my wife is bitterly opposed 
to it. I did want to play in thiit game to-day, but I dare 
not, as I have my family on board ; so if you play to-night, 
I want to sit in." " Well, I guess that we may make up a 
game after it gets later," I said. About two hours after 
supper he came out and proposed a game. I asked the 
barkeeper to pull out a table and put the checks and a deck 
of cards on it, which he did. I could see that this man 



8o FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

was crazv for a game, so I told him to sit down at the 
table and to ask every man that came by the bar to play, I 
and he did so. Presently my partner came up to the bar 
and he got the invitation, so he sat in. They counted the i 
checks and got all ready, when I dropped in. Then we 
had a nice three-handed game, and as we were all first- 
class gentlemen there could not be anything wrong. I 
wanted to play along until the passengers got thinned out 
a little, as they were too thick about the table to suit me ; j 
and then my friend wanted his wife to get to bed before | 
he started in. Everything was going on beautifully, and I ! 
had not given my man a hand to see if he had any blood ; 
in him ; but presently he got a hand on the square, and I 
knew 1 could beat him before the draw, so I slashed it at 
him pretty lively, but no big bets, and he staid like a man. 
When it came to the draw, he filled his hand, and I did 
not. It was my partner's age and the man's first bet. He 
bet $ioo, and I told him to take the pot. I had got in 
before the draw about $150. Then I knew he was a dar- 1 
ling sucker, and I nursed him like a baby. We played a j 
hand or two, then I ran him up three aces and took four \ 
nines pat. I did not want my partner to raise it too much | 
before the draw, for fear he would drop out. We had up ! 
about $150. It was my deal, and I asked him how many j 
cards he wanted. He took two. I said, " I will only take 
one." My partner took three, as he had nothing, but had ' 
to stay in to cross lift. He tipped his hand to the man, 
and the gentleman bet $250. I just called the bet, so my | 
partner bet $1,000 better; and the gentleman tore his j 
pockets getting at his money, and he called the bet. So ! 
I said, " Boys, I expect you have got me beat, but I will 
have to raise you back $1,000." That made my partner 
throw down his hand. Then it was between him and my- 
self. He said to me, " I know I ought to raise it, but will | 
just call the bet." When I showed down four nines, it 
made him lie quiet. We were just getting ready to | 
give the boy another hand, when his wife canie out into j 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 8l 

the hall, and made him quit and go to bed. I was sorry to 
see such an angel leave the game ; but such is luck. I 
found out that he was very rich, but had married the 
money. 

THE BEST LOOKING SUCKER. 

I was on board the steamer Ecli-pse from Louisville to 
New Orleans, and she was crowded with passengers. I 
knew all the officers, and they were glad to see me, as 
they knew I would make it lively while I was with them. 
I opened a few bottles of wine, and finally I called them all 
in off the guards and opened up monte. I explained the 
game to them. My partner stepped up and looked at it 
for some time, and at last he bet me $i,ooo and lost it. 
He then took up one of my cards and bent up the corner, 
then showed it to the best looking sucker that was stand- 
ing by. Then he turned to me as he threw it down, and 
said : " Please mix them up once more." So I threw them 
over again, and then I was ready for a bet. He pulled 
out his money and put it up in the gentleman's hand that 
he had picked out for the solid one. I said, " How much 
have you got there?" He said $i,ooo. I put up the 
money, and at the same time I said : " I will make it 
$5,000 if you wish." "I have not got the moneys or I 
would.'' He turned the card over and won. Then he 
wanted to bet $2,000; but I told him, " Whenever I get 
beat I never want to bet with the same man again." Then 
the gentleman spoke up and said, " I will try you once 
for $1,000." I said I would not bet less than $2,000, 
so by a little persuasion he laid it up and lost. He walked 
off, and I never saw him again about the table, I played 
a short time longer and took in a few hundred dollars, 
and then closed up for the evening. 



82 FORTY VEAR8 A GAiVIBl.liR 



MY CARDS. 



The first trip the steamer Eclipse made I was on board. 
There were five games of poker running at one time in the 
cabin. I was invited into one, and I represented myself 
as a horseman. I played on the square, as I wanted to 
gain their confidence ; so when the game closed for the 
night, they all thought me a square man. After all my 
new friends had retired to their little beds, I got out six 
decks of my marked cards and went to the bar. I told the 
barkeeper what I wanted, but he objected, as he did not 
own the bar, and was afraid it would be found out, and 
then he would be discharged. I told him that no one but 
old gamblers could detect the marks, and not one in fifty of 
them, as it was my own private mark. I had been a good 
customer at the new bar, so the new barkeeper finally 
consented to take my cards and send them to the table 
where I would be playing. The next morning after 
breakfast the games were started, and my new friends 
wanted me to sit in. I accepted the invitation, and when 
the barkeeper put the checks and cards on the table, I 
saw my old friends (I mean the cards). The game was 
five-handed, and it was pretty hard to keep the run of all 
the hands ; but I quit the game a few hundred dollars win- 
ner. After the game one of the gentlemen came to me 
and said: " I don't like a five-handed game; suppose we 
split up and make two games." That was just what I 
wanted, provided I could get in the game that had the most 
suckers, so I said to him : " I do not care to play, if you 
gentlemen can make up youi game without me ; but as we 
are' all going through to New Orleans, I will play a little 
to pass the time. You can arrange the games to suit your- 
selves, and can count me in if you are short a man." The 
gentleman arranged two nice games, with me in one of 
them. I had no partner, so I had to depend entirely on 
myself and my old friends, the marks on the back. We 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 83 

played until the engines were stopped at the landing in 
New Orleans, and I was $4,300 ahead. I might have won 
a great deal more with the assistance of a good partner, 
but then, you know, I would have had to divide with him ; 
so I was very well pleased with my last day on the new 
steamer. I did not forget the new barkeeper, but gave 
him $50 for using my cards at one of the tables in place of 
his own. 

FIGHT WITH A LONG-SHOREMAN. 

A big fellow tackled me by the name of Barlow. He 
was a long-shoreman, and a tough one, but I did him up in 
seventeen minutes. He came into a saloon where I was 
in company with Bill Leonard and Bob Johnson. Leonard 
is well known, having kept stables in New Orleans and 
Cincinnati for many years. I had given races that day, 
and it appears that this man Barlow had lost some money. 
Five or six toughs entered the saloon with Barlow. He ap- 
proached Johnson and said to him, "You throwed that 
race, you s — of a b — , and I am going to lick you for it." 
He cut loose and hit Johnson, and he must have hit him 
pretty hard, for he knocked him clear into the street. As 
Johnson was gettmg up, an officer ran up to him, when 
Johnson cut loose and knocked him down, thinking it was 
Barlow. They arrested Johnson and took him off. Then 
Barlow turned to me and said, "You keep the race track, 
and you are as big a thief as that other fellow. You 
whipped a good man when you whipped Fitzgerald, but 
you can't whip Barlow." I looked around to see how many 
friends he had with him, and I saw there were six or seven, 
and only Leonard on my side, who turned the key in the door, 
jumped on the counter, pulled his pistol, and said : "Gentle- 
men, if these men fight, they shall have it on the square, and 
the first one that interferes I will fill him full of lead. " So at 
it we went. He was a good, scienced man, and had his 
hands up very quick. He made a feint to strike me with 



84 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

his left, and let go with his right. I gave him my head for a 
mark, whicH he hit clearly, and his fist looked like a box- 
ing glove two minutes afterward. I ran under his guard, 
caught him under the arms, and downed him. In the squab- 
ble I got one solid crack at him between the eyes with my 
head, which ended the fight. He just was able to cry 
" Enough." I did not see him for several weeks after that. 
The next time I saw him was on St. Charles Street. He 
was drunk, and looking for me with a big knife up in his 
sleeve. I saw him coming, then I grabbed my gun and 
stood pat. I said, " Don't come one step more towards me, 
or I will cook your goose." He came to the conclusion 
that I meant business, and walked off. About that time 
there was a man done for every day in the Crescent City, 
but now New Orleans is a moral place, and some of the 
best people in the world live there. 

DON'T DYE YOUR WHISKERS. 

We were on board the steamer 2''ork Town one day, 
when I thought there were no suckers aboard. I had 
looked around, and had about come to the conclusion that 
we would not make our expenses, when I saw a large, well- 
dressed fellow who had his whiskers dyed black as ink. I 
got into conversation with him, and we walked around over 
the boat, and finally up on the roof. Bob Whitney was at 
the wheel, and his partner, Bill Horricks, was with him in 
the pilot-house. I knew the boys were all right, so I invited 
my new acquaintance to go up, as we could see better th^n 
on the roof. He accepted the invitation, and we were soon 
enjoying the scenery, I threw some of my cards on the 
floor, under the seat. The gentleman noticed them in a 
little while, picked them up, and turning to me he said, 
" If we had a full deck we could have a game." I told 
him I hardly ever played, but I saw a fellow playing a 
game with three cards that beat anything I ever saw, but it 
took a smart one to play it. I began throwing them, when 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 85 

Bob Whitney got so interested that he came near letting 
the boat run away with him. He wanted to bet me fifty 
dollars, and he told Bill Horricks to hold the boat until he 
could make a bet. I told him I did not understand the 
game well enough to bet on it. About this time the capper 
put in an appearance, and he wanted to know all about the 
game. I explained it, and he made the usual bets. The 
pilot wanted to bet very bad, but I kept refusing. Finally 
my friend with the black whiskers got worked up to $i ,000, 
and lost it. Then my partner put a mark on the winner, 
and beat me out of $1,000. The sucker saw the mark on 
the card, and wanted to bet $100. He was sure of winning, 
but he did not want to win but $100. So I took his bet, 
and just as he was about to turn the card I said, ''I will 
make it $1,000;" but he only wanted the hundred dollars, 
and he got it. After winning the $100, and seeing the 
mark still on the card, he thought it was all his way, so he 
put up $1,000. I saw it was about all he had, so I put up, 
and he turned the marked card ; but it was not the winner 
for $1,000 so much as it had been for $100. He walked 
out of the pilot-house and went down on deck. My partner 
followed him. 

After they were gone. Bob Whitney said he would have 
turned the same card. Then Bill Horricks laughed, and 
told him he could hold a steamboat, but he could not beat 
Devol at his own game. I went down to the bar, and there 
was my black-whiskered friend talking to my partner. I 
invited them to join me, which they did, and then the gen- 
tleman said he would like to speak with me a moment. We 
walked out on the guards, when he said to me, " I know 
I am a fool, but I want to ask you one question, and I want 
you to be candid with me. Why did you pick me out from 
among all the passengers for a sucker?" "Well, I said, 
*'I will be honest with you ; don't you dye your whiskers? " 
"Yes," said he." "Well, that is the reason I picked you 
out." He said, " I thank you, sir," and walked off. 

I went into the cabin and opened up again. I caught a 



86 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

few suckers, and then dosed up monte. I then got out my 
wheel, and took in all the pan-fish. After dosing up for 
the evening, I walked into the bar, and there I met a fine 
looking smooth-faced gentleman, who asked me to take a 
drink, at the same time saying: " Do you think shaving 
oir my whiskers has improved my looks?" I told him 
there was not as much deception in him as there had been 
in the card with the pencil mark on it. We took another 
drink and separated, I with about $2,000 of his money, and 
he with the experience. 

CALLED A GAMBLER. 

I was coming from New Orleans on the Duke of Orleans 
at one time, and had won a few hundred dollars from some 
of the passengers, but had quit playing, and was standing 
in the hall talking to some gentlemen that had played in the 
game, when a big fellow stepped up and said he believed 
we were a set of gamblers, and had divided the money he 
lost in the game. I gave him the laugh, and that made 
him hot. He then pulled oflf his coat and said he could 
whip any man in the crowd, and he kept his eye on me all 
the time. I told him I could lick him for fifty or one hun- 
dred dollars in a fair rough-and-tumble fight down on deck. 
He said if any one would see he had a fair show he would 
fight me. The mate asked me if I was going to fight him? 
I said, " Yes." So he told the big fellow he was an officer 
on the boat, and that no one would interfere if he wanted to 
fight. So he put up his fifty dollars in the mate's hand, and 
I covered it ; for those days I would rather fight than eat, 
and I could fight for a man's life. We went on deck, and 
they cleared a place for us. While this was going on I 
offered to bet him fifty or a hundrd dollars more that I 
would make him squeal. He said he had no more money 
to put up. - We stripped off and got in the place prepared 
for us. He struck at me with one of those old-fashioned 
Dutch winders. I ducked my head, and he hit that. I 



ox THE MISSISSIPPI. 87 

knew it hurt him, lor he did not use that duke any more. 
I got in under him, let fly with my head, and caught him 
square in the face. It made him grunt, but the next time I 
got one in on him I made him look silly, for the blood 
came out of his ears and nose. He said, "That will do." 

The mate took him up stairs, and had the barber wash 
and patch him up. I changed my clothes, as they were 
covered with the fellow's blood. I asked all hands to take 
a drink, and my man came up and joined us. I then paid 
the bar bill, and gave him back the balance of the fifty 
dollars I won from him on the fight. He claimed that it 
was his first whipping, but he could not stand the old head ; 
it was too hard for him. 

I have had a great many fights in my day. There was 
a fellow tackled me on the levee in New Orleans at one 
time when I was all alone, and he had a lot of his friends 
with him. I got him down, and was getting the best of him, 
when some of his friends began kicking me pretty lively. I 
guess I would have been licked that time, if it had not been 
for some men on a ship, who saw too many on one ; so they 
came to my assistance, and then I made the fellow squeal 
in a short time, They had it in for me for a long time, but 
finally gave it up as a bad job ; and I was glad of it, as 1 
never wanted to kill a man, which I expect I would have 
done if they had not let me alone. 

THE ALLIGATORS. 

I went up on the Princess. My old friend Truman 
Holmes was the Captain of her. I was standing on the 
hurricane deck when v/e landed at the mouth of the Red 
River to take in some passengers. I saw the negroes car- 
rying some long boxes built like chicken-coops. I asked 
Captain Holmes what was in the boxes. He said, "Alli- 
gators ;" so I went down stairs and found the man that 
owned them. I took him up to the bar and had a drink ; 
then I asked him what he was going to do with the alliga- 



^3 FORTY YKARa A GAMBI.ER 

tors. He said he had a side-show, and he was going to 
play the fairs all over the entire Northern country, and he 
wanted them to draw custom. I told him I thought it an 
excellent idea, and said, "I have a ten-legged wolf in a 
cage that I will get on board at Vicksburg, and I will 
sell him cheap." This pleased him, and we took another 
drink. I insisted on paying for the drinks, but he would 
.not consent, so we got to be good friends. After supper we 
got to playing whisky poker, as I told him I never gambled 
much, only once in a while, as planters would play a quar- 
ter antee. He insisted on changing it into a little draw ; 
and as I had some very good cards in the bar, I was not 
hard to coax. We commenced at a quarter antee, and 
after we had been playing about an hour he insisted on 
raising it to $i. He flattered me more than I ever was 
flattered before, in telling me I was the luckiest man to draw 
he ever saw. The result was, before we reached Natchez 
I had won all his money and his alligators. But he 
took it so much to heart about losing his pets, that I sold 
them back to him and took his note. It is how older than 
the daguerrotype man's ; and when I hand in my checks, 
I will leave the notes with my dear old mother-in-law for 
collection. 

CONTROL OVER SUCKERS. 

I was playing euchre one night on the old Vicksbu7'g, 
and had a good sucker down in the game, and the clerk 
was watching us very close ; so after I gave the sucker a 
good hand, and he wanted to bet on poker, I whispered 
and said, " If we make a bet we must put the money in a 
hat, and we must not speak about betting louder than in a 
whisper." We had up $900, when I saw the clerk 
coming ; I grabbed the hat and threw down my hand. 
When the clerk got there the bird had flown. He told the 
Captain it was all foolishness in trying to keep those gam- 
blers from winning a sucker's money, for they could make 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 89 

a sucker whisper or do anything they wanted him to do ; 
so that made two good men out of the Captain and the 
clerk, for they never interfered with our innocent games 
after that, and we made many a dollar on that boat. She 
was a nice steamboat to travel on in those days ; but they 
got to building them so much finer that a sucker was 
afraid to go on board one of them, thinking that they 
would charge him more money. 

NIPPED IN THE BUD. 

I went on board the General ^litman late one night, 
and as I had been up all the night before, I got a room and 
went to bed. I saw some gamblers playing in the cabin as 
I went through, but I was too tired to notice them much. I 
had not been in my bed long until I heard a racket out in 
the cabin. I peeped out and soon understood what was 
up. Some one had lost his money, and was doing the 
grand kicking act. I got up and was into my clothes in 
double quick time, and out among them, with old " Betsy 
Jane" in my pocket. I soon learned that a contractor on 
the levee, who had a lot of men down on deck, had lost 
his money playing poker with one of the gamblers, and 
he was going to have it back or he would bring up his 
men and take it by force. I told the gambler to stand his 
ground and not give up a red. The barkeeper told me the 
kicker had sent down for some of his men to come up ; so 
I started for the stairs and met the cointractor in the hall, 
waiting for them. I asked him what was the difficulty ; he 
said " that was his business.'' Then I said to him, "You 

are one of those d d scoundrels who try to beat others 

out of their money, and kick like h — 1 when they get the 
worst of anything." He did not want to say anything until 
his gang was at his back, and they were then coming up. 
I ran out to the head of the stairs with old " Betsy Jane " 
in my hand, and ordered them to stop. They did stop, for 
I had her pulled down on them, and the other gamblers 



90 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



were standing by me. I said, " The first man that takes 
another step to come up these stairs will get hurt." They 
didn't come. Then I turned to the kicker and told him 
if he made a move I would cook his goose. He saw we 
meant business, and weakened. The gang went back to 
their bunks, the kicking contractor went to his room, and 
we held the fort. I was told that the same man had lost 
his money about a year previous while playing poker with 
John Deming, and he brought his men up, threw Deming 
down, and did not only take the money he lost, but a 
large amount besides. I had the same thing tried on 
me once ; so when I saw a fellow-gambler imposed upon, I 
went to the front. Besides, if we let such a thing go too 
far it would ruin our business, so I thought it was best to 
nip it in the bud. 

THE BIG SUCKER. 

We were out trom New (Orleans with Captain Bill Har- 
rison one day on board the steamer Doiibeloon^ and was 
having a good game of roulette, when we noticed that most 
of the fish were suckers, and did not bite so well at roulette ; 
so we changed our tackle, and used monte for bait. We 
were fishing along, and had caught some pretty good fish, 
but none of the large ones we saw about the hooks. Every 
time we would get one of them to come up and begin nib- 
bling around, something would scare him away. We put 
on fresh bait, spit on it, and threw it out with all the care 
that we were capable of; but somehow or another they 
would not suck in the hook. I knew the bait was good, 
for I had caught thousands of suckers with it, and I could 
see that there was plenty of that kind of fish around us. I 
began looking, and soon discovered the trouble. It was a 
great big old sucker who wanted to be a kind of teacher 
over the school ; for every time one of the young suckers 
would get up too close, he would pull his tail, and that 
would scare the young one so he would not take hold in 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 9 1 

earnest. I watched the big sucker for some time, and I 
saw it was no use trying to catch anything until I caught 
the old school teacher. So I put up my tackle, and began 
looking for a bait that would land the old one. 

I was walking on the guards, when I saw the man that 
had back-capped and spoiled my game. I went up to him 
and entered into conversation. I did not let him know I 
was mad ; but I was, all the same, and would have given 
$100 to give him one between the eyes ; but I soon thought 
of a plan to make him contribute a part of what he had 
kept me from winning, so I said to him, " I was surprised 
to see you back-capping my game, for I could see you were 
a sporting man. I tried to give you the wink, and have 
you come up and win out something, so the suckers would 
take hold, but I could not get your eye." He said, " I did 
not understand it, or I would have been glad to help you. " 
I told him that after dinner I would open up again, and 
for him to walk up and make a good big bet, and I would 
let him win ; then for him to walk away, and I would catch 
all the suckers on the boat. After all had been arranged, 
I went to my room and got old " Betsy Jane ;" for my new 
capper had one on him so long that it stuck down below his 
coat-tail. I told my partner to look out for the big gun and 
our new capper. I called the passengers around a table, 
and began to throw the hooks. Up came the big fish, and 
wanted to know what was the least bet I would take. I 
told him $200. He planked her up, when I saw about $50 
left, so I told him I would make it $250. He put up the 
extra $50, for of course the more he put up the more he 
would win, as he was to suck in the hook with the extra 
kink in it. I gave them a little mixing and said " Ready !" 
He darted in and nabbed the bait more like a goggle-eye 
than a sucker, but he was caught all the same. He did not 
swim away (as he had been told to do), for he was held by 
a line that cost him $250, and he could not break it without 
a great struggle. I thought I had let him play about long 
^'nough, so I said : " Gentlemen, there are no more suckers 



92 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



to be caught on this boat,*' and that landed the biggest 
sucker I ever caught in all my life. 

I put up my fishing tackle and invited all hands to the 
bar, for I was feeling like all fishermen (a little dry). My 
big sucker joined us, as he had been out of water just long 
enou<>-h to want to get back. After we had quenched our 
thirst he said he would like to see me a minute. I told him 
he could see me for an hour, as I had no other business to 
look after. We walked out on the guards, and my partner 
was not far away. The big fellow said to me, " Why 
didn't you let me win the money? '" I looked up at him, but 
kept my hand on old Betsy Jane, and said, " My business 
is to catch suckers, and you are the biggest one I ever 
caught in my life if you think I will give you back your 
money." He went back for his gun, but I had old Betsy 
out and up to his head before he could say Jack Robinson. 
I told him to put up his hands, and be d — d quick about it, 
too. He put them up, and said he did not want any gun 
to whip such a fellow as I was. I told him that he might 
be a good man down in Texas, where he came from, but 
he was a sucker up in this country, and I could eat him up. 
I said : "' We will put our guns in the bar, and have it out 
just as you like it." We went in the bar, and he handed 
over his young cannon, and then I put up Betsy Jane. I 
told my partner to get the Captain and tell him to land the 
boat, and he would see some fun, for 1 knew he would rather 
see a fight than eat when he was hungry. So just as we 
got our guns behind the bar the Captain w-alked in, and 
some one said, " Here comes the Captain." The Texas 
fellow said, " To h — 1 with him ; 1 don't care a d — n for 
any captain." That made old Bill hot, and he wanted to 
know what was all this racket about. I told him the big 
fellow wanted to lick me. He said, " I'll soon settle this ; 
you will go ashore.'' The big fellow said there was not 
men enough on the boat to put him ashore. The Captain 
then sent word to the pilot to land, and also sent for the 
mate and some of the deck-hands. The pilot ran the boat 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 93 

up on a point, and she got aground. I jumped off as soon 
as she struck ; and the mate, assisted by two big deck- 
hands, soon had Mr. Texas off. The passengers were all 
out on the guards, for they had heard the racket, and 
wanted to see the fun. I pulled off my coat, and told 
Texas to clean himself and come a-fighting. He was just 
as sure of licking me as I was of catching him for a sucker, 
but he had forgotten " Nothing is sure that grows on 
earthly ground." He was onto me in an instant, and if he 
had hit me just where he aimed, he would have hurt me, 
for he was a hard hitter ; but I gave him my dear old head, 
and he hurt himself very bad ; but I did not care if he did. 
I then ran in under him, and had him down on his back 
before he recovered from the blow he struck against a rock 
(as he afterward called my head). After I got him down I 
gave him one just between the eyes, and he saw stars (al- 
though there were none in the sky just then). I gave him 
one more punch, and he said, "That will do." I let him 
up, and he was so dazed that he staggered and fell into 
the river. They pulled him out, and I heard some one re- 
mark, " That's the biggest sucker ever caught in this 
river." 

While the fight was going on, they were trying to get 
the boat off the pomt ,• but I guess they did not try very 
hard, for as soon as they fished out the sucker, the Captain 
called for me to come aboard. I said, " Captain, it is only 
three miles to Donaldsonville, and as I want a little exercise, 
I will walk ; but take good care of my " big sucker." 

THE CRAZY MAN. 

I was going up the Illinois River once with Dad Ryan. 
We did not try to do anything the first night out from St. 
JLouis. The next day I picked up a man who had been to 
St. Louis with wild game and butter, and had a great deal 
of money for a man of his calibre. I told him I lived in 
Galena, 111., and had some of the finest lead mines in that 



94 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



part of the country. We got pretty well acquainted with 
each other, and had some drinks together. He got to feel- 
ing lively, for whenever he took a drink he would take a 
tumbler half full of whisky. After getting him warmed up 
pretty well, I walked him in the barber shop to see a white 
squirrel. During the while the barber was after it, Dad 
opened out the three cards, and my friend and I had be- 
come verj'- interested in the game. I looked on a while, 
then I said to Ryan: "I think I can turn the winning 
card for $ioo." He accepted the proposition, and I laid 
up the money and turned the wrong one. I then picked 
up the jack, as that was the winner, and bent the corner, 
showed it to my friend, " whispered" and told him not to 
say a word, as he would not detect its being bent. He 
said, "All riofht." I told the dealer to throw them over 
again, which he did. I then said, " I know you have 
two chances to our one, but I will try you for $200." 
We put up our money into the butter man's hands, and 
I turned the card. The dealer told the butter man that 
he lost fair, and to give the money to me. Then I 
wanted to try it for the $400, but he would not bet 
vv^ith me, saying: "When a man beats me once, I will 
not bet with him again." So I handed the money to my 
friend, and told him to bet it for me. "That will do," 
said Ryan. He mixed them up again, and my friend 
turned the card and won for me. 

Ryan took it very pleasantl}', laughing all the time, so 
my friend thought he would try it with his own money ; 
but Ryan said : " You beat me once, and you know what 
I said." "Well," said my friend, " I did not bet for my- 
self." I coaxed Ryan to let him bet, as he was entitled to 
one bet at least. He consented, and my friend got out 
$100 ; but Ryan said : " No ; I will not bet less than $500." 
I said to my friend, " If you have not got the money, I 
will loan it to you ; and if you only wdn one small bet, he 
will not' bet with you again." He pulled out a big roll 
with a string around it, and counted out $400 more and 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. <y 

laid it on the table. I told him I would hold the stakes, so 
he handed me the money. Ryan saw that big roll, and 
hated to have him get away, as he might quit after losing. 
When he saw that I was holding stakes, he said : " I guess 
I will back out." I spoke up and told him he could not, 
and my friend said that it was not fair to back out. Then 
said Ryan, " I will raise you $2,000," and he laid it up in 
my hand. Then my friend wanted to back out and take 
his money down, but Ryan would not stand that. I in- 
sisted on putting up the rest, but Ryan would not allow it, 
as he said, " I will bet but one at a time." I told him to 
lay up the money. He put it up at last, trembling like a 
man with the palsy ; but finally he grabbed the card and 
lost. 

Just about that time there was a little boat landed 
alongside of us, as we were lying at a landing putting 
ofi freight. I gave Ryan the office to get on her. He 
slipped over on the boat, and the sucker just then came to 
his senses. When he saw that Ryan had gone out, he 
said to me, "Where did he go?" I told him he had 
gone back in the cabin ; so he started back to look for him, 
and while he was gone the little boat backed out. I 
walked out in the hall to see what had become of my 
friend, and found him searching all the rooms in the 
ladies' cabin. He then rushed into a gentleman's room 
where his wife was, and then there was h — 1 to pay. The 
man came near shooting him, but I ran back and told the 
gentleman that the fellow was crazy and did not know 
what he was doing. He ran all around the boat, frothing 
at the mouth, and never said a word to any one. Finally 
some of the officers grabbed him, got a rope and tied him, 
for they all thought he was crazy ; and I commenced to 
think so myself, as all he would say was, " Where is he? 
Where did he go?" No one had seen the game but the 
barber, and I slipped him a twenty-dollar bill and told him 
to keep mum. They kept the man tied for about one hour, 
until he promised he would behave if they let him loose, 



J FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

which they did. He sat perfectly still and did not have a 
word to say. I knew he was not broke, for I saw he had 
about $200 left ; and that amount, together with his late 
experience, was capital enough for any man. 

DIDN'T WIN THE KEY. 

We were playing monte on board the steamer Mag-- 
nolia^ out of New Orleans, one night, and had a very 
lively game. We had won a few hundred dollars. There 
was a Jew on board who had no money, but he had a fine 
watch. During the play he was very anxious to bet it, but 
I told him I did not want to play for his watch, as 1 knew 
I could win it whenever I saw fit. So, just as the game 
was about to close, I said to him, " What is your watch 
worth ?" " Three hundred dollars, and I can gel that for 
it." I told him I would put up $300 against it, and bet 
him he could not turn the picture card. He pulled out, 
put her up, and then turned over the wrong card. The 
passengers all laughed. He never said a word, but ap- 
peared to take it all right. After a while he came to me 
and said: " I have the key, and would like you to keep 
the watch wound up, as I think a great deal of it ; and as 
soon as we get to Natchez I can borrow the money on the 
wharf-boat, from Charley Frazier, to redeem it." When 
he spoke in that way I handed him his ticker, and he ran 
awa}' with it. I laughed, and began thinking how to get 
it back again. So I took my partner, Alexander, to one 
side and told him to get in with the Jew, then tell him he 
heard me say I was going to give the watch back. **Tell 
him you have been watching me play, and that you be- 
lieved you could play it as well as the man he played 
against." He got in with him, and finally got some cards 
to show the Jew how I played. The Jew got very much 
taken with the game again, so he said to my partner, " I 
know that I could beat you, if you will play for some- 
thing," So he won the drinks and cigars from my part- 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 97 

ner, and at last he wanted to put up his watch against 
$500 that he could turn the card. My partner put up the 
money, and the Jew the watch ; but he missed it that 
time ; and you never did hear such laughter as there was 
on that boat, for the passengers all turned loose and 
plagued the poor Jew all the way up to Natchez, asking 
him what time it was. He did not redeem it at Natchez, 
so I had to buy a "key," and that nearly broke my 
heart. 

WAS IN WITH THE JUDGE. 

I was on the train from Jackson to New Orleans. I 
opened in the smoking car, and won a good deal of money. 
We were just coming to a station called Amite, about sixty 
miles above New Orleans. I waited until the car got in 
motion, after learning the station, as I did not want to go 
into New Orleans ; for they were kicking like the d — 1, and 
I knew there would be a big crowd at the depot. I slipped 
off, and told my partner to bring my valise, and come up 
the next day. They went into the city kicking like steers, 
and they had the officers looking for me, but they did not 
find me. Two of them took the train and came back 
to Amite that night, and in the morning when I came to 
breakfast there they were. I could not help laughing at 
them. After breakfast they went to the magistrate, and 
swore out a warrant for my arrest, and the constable came 
over to the hotel looking for me, but I had skipped out. I 
walked down the railroad and kept hid until they were sat- 
isfied I had gone. They left orders if I showed up to have 
me arrested, and telegraph them. I took the first train and 
went to the city. They came in on the evening train. The 
next day they found out I was in the city, and then I was 
arrested and brought before the Recorder's Court, when 
the Judge asked me if I had an attorney. I told him I 
could plead my own case. I soon convinced him that 
the gambling was done in another parish, and I was dis- 
charged. They then took a train and went back, got the 



C)8 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

warrant thej^ had out for me, and brought an officer with 
them. The officer stepped up to me and said : -' I have a 
warrant for you." "All right; but we can't leave here 
until night. Let us pass away the lime until the train 
leaves." There was a big crowd followed us to get a look 
at the notorious Devol, and the officer kept pulling out the 
warrant and showing it to the throng. He was getting 
pretty full of whisky, when I saw a thief in the crowd. I 
gave him the wink, and in less than five minutes he had 
the warrant. I got one of my friends to ask the officer to 
show him the warrant. He dove down in his pocket, but 
could not find it ; so I told him he must have the paper, or 
I would not go with him. It sobered him up, and the last 
time I saw him he was with the two fellows going to the 
train to get fresh papers. I went up myself to see what 
they could do with me. I took a train and passed them 
coming down. They went into the city, and found that I 
had left for Amite that morning, and that they hiid missed 
me. When I got there I took the Judge and Prosecutor 
out, and we had several drinks ; then we went to a shoe 
shop, and ordered two pairs of boots for them, and took 
the size of their heads, and sent to New Orleans for hats. 
When they came back, and the case was called, the Judge 
heard theif story, and then mine, and decided it was nothing 
but a case of gambling, and that he would have to fine us 
each five dollars and costs. We paid our fines, and they 
all took the train that day but myself. I stayed a day or 
two, and had a fishing game, as it was a great place to 
catch the little flappers. They said, when they came back 
to the city, that no law down here would do anything 
with that fellow, and his name ought to be "■ Devil " instead 
of Devol. They thought I must be some relation to Claude 
Duval, the highwayman. They were Verrnonters. They 
said if they had me down East they would fix me for 
the balance of my life ; but I was not down East, and I 
had often been, before I met those suckers, "Fixed for 
Life." 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. gg 



THE BRILLIANT STONE. 

We were on board the steamer Sotithcrn Belle, bound 
for New Orleans. There were several planters aboard that 
I was acquainted with, and we were drinking wine, telling 
stories, and enjoying ourselves, when a large, fine-looking 
gentleman stepped up to the bar and took a drink. He 
had a diamond stud in his shirt that was so large and bril- 
liant that it attracted the attention of us all ; so after he 
went out we began commenting on it. 

I finally said to one of the planters, " What would you 
give for that stone ? " He said, " I would give $i,ooo for 
it, but I bet it could not be bought for the money." 
" What will 3^ou give me for it ? " I asked him. They all 
laughed, for they understood by my question that I thought 
the man was a sucker, and I could win it from him. One 
of them said : " Devol, you are a good one, but that fellow 
is too smart to be caught by any of your tricks." I said, 
" Gentlemen, I will bet two bottles of wine that I will have 
that stone inside of an hour. Who will take me ? " They 
all wanted to take the bet, and raise it to a basket ; but I 
told them the odds were too much in their favor, and I 
would bet but two bottles ; so it was settled that I was to 
win the stone, or pay for the wine. Then we all went 
out in the cabin, and I called everybody to join me 
in some wine. My partner went up to the man with 
the brilliant stone, and asked him if he knew the 
man that was treating. He said he did not. Then my 
partner told him that I v/as a planter ; that I owned six 
plantations, and so many niggers that I did not know the 
number myself. The gentleman was introduced to me 
and the other planters, when he said : " I am very glad to 
form the acquaintance of you Southerners ; I'm a New 
Yorker," The compliment cost me the wine for the entire 
party. While the barkeeper was serving the wine, I told 
him to bring me some of those tickets that they played 



lOO FORTY YEARS A GAMBI^ER 

the whisky game with. He brought the tickets, and I be- 
gan to mix them. One of the planters bet me the wine 
that he could turn the ticket with the baby. I took him 
up, and he stuck me. Then another bet me the cigars, and 
I stuck him. While we were lighting our cigars, my part- 
ner put a pencil mark on the baby ticket, and told the New 
Yorker that he wanted to have some fun with me ; that I 
was so good-natured, I would take it as a joke when I 
found it out. I commenced mixing them again, and 
wanted to know who would be the next man to try his 
luck. My partner came to the front, and wanted to know 
if I would bet money on the game. I told him so long as 
I had two chances to his one, I would bet a plantation, 
and a hundred niggers besides. He put up $i,ooo, and 
said: " I will try you once for $i,ooo." I pulled out a 
roll so large that it made everj'body look wild, saying : 
" That just suits me." I mixed, and my partner turned 
the ticket with his pencil mark on it, and caught me for 
$i,cx)0. I laughed and said, "You're a lucky fellow; I 
don't want to bet with you any more." He then slipped 
away, as though he was afraid I would detect the mark 
and raise a fuss. He gave the $2,000 to one of the plant- 
ers, and told him to go and play it. The planter came up 
and said : " Fll try you for $2,000." I said, "All right; 
plank her up." He turned a card, but not knowing any- 
thing about the mark, he lost. I laughed and said, " Trj^ 
it again ; you're not as lucky as the other fellow." " No," 
said he; "I've got enough." Then my partner came up 
again and wanted to bet ; but I told him he was the lucky 
fellow, and I was afraid of him. 

The New Yorker could see the mark on the card, and 
he could not stand it any longer ; so he pushed up to the 
table and laid down a roll, and said: "J will bet you 
$400." I told him I would only make one more bet and 
then quit, and I would bet $2,000 or nothing. He picked 
up the money and turned away. My partner said, so I 
could hear him, " Bet him." The man said, " I have not 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. lOI 

got the money." Then my partner offered to loan it to 
him, when I told them I would not bet if the lucky fellow 
was in with it ; but if the gentleman had anything worth 
the money, he could put it up. The lucky fellow told him 
to put up his diamond stud, saying in a whisper: "It is 
only for a minute ; don't you see the mark on the card ? " 
The gentleman put up the stone and the $400. I told him 
I would only take the stone for $1,000. Then my partner 
told him to put up his watch. He did so, and I put up 
$2,000 in money. I mixed, and he turned the marked 
card. He was very much excited ; and when the card 
turned over, it had the mark on the back, but the baby 
had crawled off the other side. He drew a long breath 
and w^alked back to his state-room, and that was the last 
we saw of him. As he was walking away, some one 
called to him to join us in some wine ; but he could not 
hear so well as when the capper told him in a whisper to 
put up, as it was only for a minute. We looked at our 
watches (I had two), and it wanted just five minutes of the 
hour. The planter that made the bet of two bottles spent 
over $200 for wine that night, and before he left the boat 
he gave me $1,000 for the " brilliant stone." 

LUCKY AT POKER. 

One night I went out on the steamer Belle Lee. She 
was running from Memphis to New Orleans. Captain 
Hicks was her commander, and a jolly fellow was he. 
He said to me: " Devol, I never saw a gambler in the 
world that I was afraid to play with. I am just as smart 
as any of them." I said, " Captain, you will get no game 
out of me, as I do not want any of your money." After 
supper I noticed the Captain had a man, and they went to 
his room in the texas. I opened up and had a fine play at 
roulette, but it fell off at 12 o'clock, and I closed up. I 
was sitting in the hall when the Captain and his man came 
down. The man said : " Captain, I am winner ; let's have 



J02 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

a bottle of wine." They invited me to join them. The 
Captain said: " George, I will turn this gentleman over to 
you, as I can't beat him." "Well," I said, "Cap, if you 
can't beat him, I can't; for you are a better poker player 
than I am." 

Then I winked at the barkeeper, who had a few decks 
of my cards that I had put in when I came on board. He 
knew w^hat I wanted. I said to the man, "I'll tell you 
what I will do : I will play one game of seven-up for a 
bottle of wine ;" as I thought that was the best w^ay to get 
him started. He agreed. I said, "Barkeeper, give us a 
deck of cards, and we will see who is the lucky man." 
We began, cut for deal, and I beat him. I dealt, and 
I knew every card in his hand. He had no trumps, and I 
had the jack alone. He begged ; I gave him one and made 
four. He dealt, and I made three on his deal, which put 
me out. He was as hot as a pepper pod, but he called for 
the wine. After we drank it, he said : " I wonder if you 
are that lucky at poker ; if so, I will try you a little while." 
I said, "All right ; I think, myself, I am in luck to-night." 
We went at it, but he said the limit must be $50. We 
played till daylight began to peep through the skylight of 
the cabin, and I had to loan him money to defray his ex- 
penses. He told the Captain it was the hardest game he 
ever struck. He sent me the money I loaned him by ex- 
press, and wrote that if he ever met me on the river again 
he wanted to be in with my play. It was not long after 
that when I met him on the steamer Natchez^ and we made 
some big money together, as he got up some fine games 
with the planters. He was known all along the river, and 
Captain Leathers thought it strange to see him playing 
with me ; but the gentleman understood it, for I was always 
" lucky at poker." 



ON THli MISSISSIPPI. 



THE HIDDEN HAND. 



103 



While in St. Louis just before the war, I got acquainted 
with a man from Detroit by the name of James Scott. He 
was dealing faro bank, and was such a square fellow that 
all the boys would play against him. He had a big fame 
one evening, and had downed quite a number of the boys, 
but he did it on the square. He quit dealing to go and 
get his supper, and while he was out the boys tried to think 
of some scheme to stick him for enough money to get a 
square meal for themselves. Finally one of them thought 
of the same racket that I played on my Jew partner, and 
they manufactured a sucker. When Jim came back, they 
were playing a single-handed game of poker. Jim loved 
poker, and as he had not finished picking his teeth, he 
.stopped at the table to look on. That was just what the 
boys expected and wanted, so the two hands were run up. 
Jim was behind the fellow that had the three kings and a 
pair of sevens ; but just after he saw them, some one 
spoke to him on the other side, so he went around the table. 
The man with the kings made a big raise, and the other 
fellow said it was more money than he had. Jim saw his 
three aces and a pair, so he said: '•' I am with you, old 
boy, for $1,000." The money was put up, and then the 
sucker said he had made a mistake in his hand, and 
wanted to take down his money ; but everybody said he 
could not take down. Then the fellow threw down two 
cards and called for two more. The old boy (Jim's part- 
ner) gave them to him, and the sucker made another raise 
just large enough to use up the balance of Jim's thousand. 
The old boy called the bet just in time to save Jim from 
putting up another thousand, for they did not want to strike 
him too heavy the first time. They showed down, and the 
sucker had caught another king in the draw, and he won 
the pot. Jim did not say a word, but began to deal the 
bank. The next night some of the boys that had eaten a 



I04 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



good supper at Jim's expense invited him to the theatre. 
Jim wanted to know the play ; they told him " The Hidden 
Hand." Jim said, " No, boys ; I saw that play last night, 
and I would not see it again for $i,ooo." Jim is now living 
in Detroit, and is one of the wealthiest men in the city. 
His father left him a fortune, and he has not laid down a 
dollar on a gambling table since ; yet he likes the boys, 
and can tell some of the best stories of any man in this 
country. He is very fond of the theatres, but he says he 
never goes when they play "The Hidden Hand." 

CAUGHT AGAIN. 

While sitting in the hall of the steamer Petonia, I no- 
ticed a fellow who kept looking at me so closely that I at 
last said to him, " Do you live on the river, sir? " He re- 
plied, "Are you speaking to me ?" " Well, yes ; I asked 
vou if you lived on the river." He answered me very 
gruffly, "No sir." I let him alone, for I thought I had 
seen him before, and it might be I had beat him out of 
some money ; so I got up and walked down the cabin- 
After I left, he asked the barkeeper who I was, and he 
told him I was a planter, and the son of one of the wealth- 
iest planters on the coast. The fellow said • '' Darn me if 
he don't look just like a fellow that beat me out of $5,000 
some years ago." " I guess you are mistaken ; although 
all planters gamble more or less," said the barkeeper. 
" Well, let's take a drink ; but I was sure he was the same 
man." 

Just as they finished their drink, I walked up and called 
for some wine. The fellow spoke up and^said, "Have a 
drink with me." I said, *' No, you join me, as I see you 
have finished yours." He accepted, and I ordered a bottle 
of wine. We sat down to drink the wine, when he said : 
" You must excuse me for the manner in which I spoke to 
you a while ago, as I took you for a man that beat me oiit 
of $5,000 on one of these boats, some years ago, at a game 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. IO5 

they called monte." " Well, now," I said ; "It must have 
been the same fellow that beat me, for that's what they 
called it, monte ; but I did not care very much, as I was 
spending the old gent's money at that time." He replied : 
" But I did mind it, for I had just sold my place, and was 
going to put the money into business ; but on account of 

that d d rascal, I have had to work hard ever since ; 

and I have sworn to kill him the first time I meet him." 
" I do not blame you for feeling as you do, for you could 
not afford to lose the money ; but I did not care, as the old 
gent had plenty more that I could get whenever I asked 
for it ; and as he sometimes lost pretty heavy himself, he 
would say to me, ' Son, if you bet you will win or lose ; 
but if you lose, take it cool ; for if you could not afford to 
lose, vou had no business to bet.' " " You're riofht ! I did 
not have any business to bet ; but I thought I had a sure 
thing of winning. I would have killed that fellow the 
next morning; but when I began looking for him, I found 
he had got off the boat, and I have never seen him since." 
I laughed and said, " If you had won the money, you 
would not have felt like shooting the fellow, would you ? " 
*'Oh, no." 

I found out the fellow had about $60 ; but he was just 
as much a sucker as he was when he lost the $5,000, and 
I made up my mind to win his money, and then tell him 
that I was the same man that beat him before. I excused 
myself, and told my partner all about the fellow, and that 
I wanted to win his money. 

After supper I opened up monte, and caught a good 
many suckers. My old producer was watching the game 
and me too. We had about finished up, when my partner 
said to my old friend, "I would like to make a bet, but I 
am unlucky ; will you bet this $50 for me ? " He took the 
$50, put it up, and won. Then he put up $50 for himself, 
and lost. My partner wanted to know how he had made 
such a mistake, when he swelled up like a porpoise, and 
said: "I believe that is the same fellow that beat me cut 



I06 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

of my money before." He walked away, and my partner 
followed him. They were standing at the bar when I came 
up, and I invited all hands to join me in a drink. Every- 
body accepted the invitation, except my Arkansas killer. 
I made up my mind that we would have a fight, so I 
thought I would not put it off any longer. I turned to him 
and said, "Come and take a cigar with me, for I see you 
are not drinking." He replied, " I pick my company." 
Then I said, "You are in better company just now than 
you ever were in your life, except the time, some years 
ago, when you were in my company and lost $5,000." 

He said, " You are a d d rascal." I then called him a 

liar and a coward. He attempted to draw, when my part- 
ner caught his arm and gave him one in the face, which 
was not a ver^^ heavy one, for he did not appear to mind it. 
I had old "• Betsy Jane " out and had him covered ; then I 
said, " Lay away your old pop, and we will go down on 
deck and have it out. You are a much larger man than I 
am, but I will take a licking Irom you, if you are man 
enough to give it to me." We gave our guns to the bar- 
keeper and started down. 1 heard some bets $50 to $25 on 
the big Arkansas man, so I gave a friend of mine a roll 
and told him to take all the odds. 

When we got down on deck, the mate made a ring 
with some barrels, and said: "No man but the fighters 
shall get inside the ring." Tlie big fellow stripped down 
to his undershirt, and looked like a young Samson ; then 
the bets ran up $100 to $25. I pulled off my coat and 
vest, and stepped inside the ring. We shook hands, and 
time was called, the mate acting as referee. He made a 
lunge; I dropped my head, and he hit it a terrible blow. 
Then he got one in below the belt, and I thought for an 
instant I would lose my supper and the fight ; but I rallied, 
and got a good one in on the side of his neck, which 
doubled him up like a jackknife; then I ran in, caught 
him, and 'let drive with my head. I struck him between 
the eyes, and he fell over as if he had been shot. I took a 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. IO7 

seat on one of the barrels, folded my arms, and waited for 
time to be called. The mate said: "That will do; this 
man can't fight any more." They took him up stairs, and 
had the barber fix him up. I was not much the worse for 
having been in a fight. My friend handed me all my 
money, and over $400 besides, that he had taken in on the 
result. I treated all hands, and sent some wine, also the 
$50 I had won, back to my Arkansas friend. He told the 
mate and some of the passengers that he had been in a 
great many fights, but that was the first time he was ever 
whipped. He said he " whipped himself when he hit my 
head ; but when I gave him that butt, he thought he had 
been struck with a bar of iron." He told them they did 
not fight that way out where he lived, and he did not think 
it was fair. The mate told him everything was fair in a 
rough-and-tumble fight. I felt sorry for the big fellow 
when I saw his face, for his nose was broken all up. He 
forgot all about that he was going to shoot the man that 
beat him out of his $5,000, for you see I returned the 
money that ^ won from him when I had him caught again. 

MY LITTLE PARTNER. 

A man by the name of Dock Chambers was working 
with me at one time, and he was like my partner Foster — 
he would stoop to little things. I was playing poker one 
night with a man, and broke him. He got up from the 
table and went back into the ladies' cabin, and in a short 
time returned with some diamonds and a lady's watch and 
chain. He wanted to put them up, but I told him I never 
played for women's finery. A man offered him about one- 
half what the stufT was worth, and he was so crazy to play 
that he was about to let them go, when I advanced him 
much more on them than the stranger had offered ; for 1 
knew he would lose them. We began our play, and in 
about an hour I had won all the money that I had ad- 
vanced him on the jewelry. I asked him if he v/as broke, 



I08 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

and he told me that their passage was paid and his wife 
had some money. I bid him good night and went to bed. 
The next morning I put the jewelry in a cigar box, gave it 
to my partner, and told him to find the lady and return it 
to her. He found her and returned the box. She opened 
it, and found ever3^thing her husband had lost ; then she 
gave him $300, and told him to thank me for her. He 
came back and gave me the thanks, but did not say one 
word about the $300. I was well paid with the thanks, 
until I found out that she had sent $300 with them, and 
that my partner had hogged onto it. I did not say a word 
at the time, but waited until I could get big even. 

We were coming out of New Orleans a short time after 
the Chambers trick, and had a good monte business, which 
we closed up as soon as we had caught all the suckers. I 
went to a friend of mine who kept a drug store in Vicks- 
burg, and told him I wanted to get even with my partner. 
I gave him some money, and told him I would open up 
red and black, and that the jack paid eight for one. I said 
to him, "You come up and bet $10 on the jack three times, 
and the fourth time you put a one hundred-dollar bill inside 
of the ten and put it on the same card, and I will make it 
win." He did just as I told him, and the jack lost the 
first three times, but the fourth time it won. I oaid the 
$80, and started to make another turn, when the drug man 
said: "You will have to come again." I said, "There is 
your $80 and your $10, sir." "Please look at the $10," 
he replied. I did look at it, and there was a great, big, 
live $100 inside of it. It was over the limit; but I had 
turned, and there was no getting out of it. To tell the 
truth, I did not want to get out, for I was just getting in on 
my partner. I paid the $800 over to the pill-mixer and 
shut up shop, as I did not want to lose an}^ more of m}^ 
" Httle partner's " money. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



LACKED THE NERVE. 



[09 



I made a mistake one time that came near getting me 
licked, and it was only the want of nerve that saved me. 
I feel the effect of the shock to this day, and I believe it 
will follow me to my grave. I will tell how it happened. 

I was playing the little game of monte, and had caught 
some pretty good fish, when I noticed a Jew, that I had 
seen in Natchez, standing near the table and watching me 
and my cards very closely. I took him for one of the finny 
tribe, and expected to see him swim up and take hold of 
the hook ; but he walked over to the bar and commenced 
talking to the barkeeper. I found out afterward that he 
asked the barkeeper who I was, and told him he could 
beat me at that game I was playing ; for says he, "Do you 
know, there is a little spot on one of the cards, and I don't 
believe he can see it." The barkeeper was a friend of 
mine, and he told the Jew that I couldn't see very well, as 
I was up so much at night. I was fishing along, when 
back came the sucker. Then I began to think a little bet- 
ter of myself; for I had spotted the fellow, and when I 
saw him walk off, I began to think that for once I had 
made a mistake in my man, and was losing some of my 
conceit. He got up very close, and then he asked me how 
much I would bet him that he could not turn the card 
with the old woman on it. I looked at him for a moment, 
as I had lost a little of my confidence when I saw him go 
away ; but soon I remembered that the best fish will some- 
times play around the bait and then swim off, only to come 
back, dart in and swallow it, hook and all ; so I said to 
him, *' I will bet you $500 you can't pick up the old woman 
the first pick." I had $500 worth of confidence, thirty 
years ago, that no man could pick up the old woman ; but 
I am married now, and have quit gambhng, but I will bet 
$5,000 that no man can pick up my old mother-in-law the 
first pick. 



no FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

Well, the Jew put up $500 and picked up one of the 
cards, and as his eyesight was so mucli better than mine, 
he got the one with the little spot on it ; and while he was 
looking for the old woman on the other side of the card, I 
put the $500 in my pocket and rang down the curtain. 
The Jew stood and held on to the card, until I told him if 
he was done with it I would like to have it. He handed it 
to me, and then walked over to the barkeeper and said to 
him, " That man Devol can see better than we thought he 
could." 

I was standing out on the guards smoking, v/hen up 
came my food for the brain. He said to me: "■ Mr. De- 
vol, I am a poor man, with a wife and four little children. 
That money I lost was all I had in the world, and it was 
given to me by my friends lo start me in a little business. 
If I don't get that money, I am a ruined man, and my 
poor wife and little children will starve to death, for I will 
never see them again. Oh, Mr. Devol, take pity on my 
poor wife and four little children, and give me back the 
money. You are a rich man, and can make money so 
fast ; and my poor wife and four little children will pray for 
you as long as we live ; and I will tell my children's chil- 
dren what a good man Mr. D — " " Hold on," I said, as 
I saw the big tears running down the heart-broken man's 
face. " Here's your money ; take it and give it to your 
family." I handed him a five hundred-dollar bill and 
turned away, took out my handkerchief, and was just 
wiping something off my cheek, when I thought I heard 
something like a laugh. I turned around, and there, a little 
way off, stood my poor Jew with seven five hundred-dollar 
bills in his hand, shaking them at me ; and he said, " I 
haven't got no wife nor no four little children, Mr. D — ." 
He did not finish, for I started for him, and he lit out as 
if the devil, instead of Devol, was after him. When we 
got to the city, I went into the first harness store I came to 
and bought a whip, but I never hy.d the nerve to use it. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Ill 



THE THREE FIVES. 

At one time I was going down the river below Baton 
Rouge, and there were a lot of raftsmen on board The}- 
all loved to gamble, so one of them opened a chuckaluck 
game. They were putting down their money with both 
hands, and the game was over $400 winner. I thought I 
would give him a little play, so I went 10 my room and got 
a set of dice the same size as he was using, and then 
chaijged in a five without winning a bet. Then I asked 
him if I could shake them once for luck. "Oh, yes," he 
said, for he was playing on the square. I came the change 
on him, then I put $100 inside of a dollar bill, and put it 
on the five. He shook them up, vv'hen, lo and behold, up 
came three fives. He picked up my money, and when he 
saw the $100 he looked worse than a sick monkey ; but he 
paid up like a man. I then came the change back, and 
quit.i* A man should learn all the -tricks in his trade be- 
fore he takes down the shutters. 

SNAKED THE WHEEL. 

We were going up with Captain Bill Harrison on board 
the Doubeloon, and just after leaving the wharf I took a 
look around to find some good-looking suckers. I had not 
found anything that I thought suited me, and was standing 
at the bar talking to Captain Bill, when he asked me if the 
fellows m the barber shop were with me. I said, " What 
fellows?" For I could see my partners, Brown and Chappie, 
sitting out on the guards. He said, " Go back and take a 
peep at them.." I did go back, and I saw some fellows 
with two tables covered all over with jewelry and silver- 
ware. They had a wheel with numbers on it, and the cor- 
responding numbers were on the table under the jewelry, 
etc. They were just getting started, and had some cus- 
tomers who were paying their dollar, and trying their luck 



112 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

turning the wheel. I looked on until I thought I understood 
the game, and then I went to the pantry and came back. 
I saw a nice looking watch on one. of the numbers, but the 
space on the wheel that had the same number on it was so 
very narrow that the wheel would not stop on it one time in 
a thousand. 1 asked the boss if the watch was good ; and he 
told me that any one that won it could have $ioo in gold 
if he did not want the watch. I fooled around a little 
while, then I put down my dollar, and gave the wheel a 
pretty heavy whirl. She went around about twice, and 
stopped on the number that called for the watch. The fel- 
low was all broke up, but he gave me $ioo in gold, and I 
put up another dollar. I started the wheel again, and I 
hope I may never see the back of my neck if she did not 
stop on the watch again. The boss was dumbfounded. He 
looked at the wheel, paid me another $ioo in gold, and as 
he paid over the money he looked at me as if he did not 
like me ; and as I make it a rule not to stay where I am not 
wanted, I went out to see the boys. I told them how it was 
done, and they went in and got $ioo in gold. As they 
were coming out they heard the fellow say, '• Who in the 
h — 1 put this molasses on the wheel ? " 

We opened monte, and caught the wheel man for his 
entire stock, and we had more Christmas presents than any- 
body in the State. Molasses will catch more suckers than 
soft soap. 

THE KILLER. 

At one time I was dealing red and black on the wharf- 
boat at the mouth of Red River, and as there were a num- 
ber of Texas boys on the boat I was doing a good business. 
While I was very busy watching the game, a big fellow 
who was employed by the proprietor of the boat came up 
and asked me to loan him $ioo for a few minutes, as he had 
made a bet with a man that he could show up that much 
money. I saw he had been drinking, but I was too busy 
just then to argue the case, for I knew if I refused him he 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. II3 

would want a fuss, as he had the reputation of being a 
great fighter, and I had been told that he had killed three 
men ; so I handed him a hundred-dollar biil, and went on 
with my game. 

After getting about all the money that the Texas boys 
would give up, I closed my game and went out to find my 
$100. I inquired after the fellow, and was told that he was 
up on ':he levee, so I waited for him. It was not long until 
he showed up, and he was pretty drunk. I asked him to 
give me back the bill, and he told me he had spent it. I 
was mad, but I did not want to have a fuss just then, as 
the Texas boys were standing around, and I did not want 
them to join in ; so I said, " If you have spent it, all right ; 
you can hand it to me to-morrow." I Vv'as just giving him 
taffy, for I knew he intended to rob me out of the money, 
thinking I would not dare to tackle him, but he did not 
know me. The Texas boys had gone to bed, and there 
were but few persons in the room. The big killer was stand- 
ing near the bar, when I saw a chance and let fiy ; I caught 
him under the chin and knocked him as stiff as a poker ; 
then I took his big gun out of his pocket and threw it out 
into the river. I told a black boy to go through his pockets 
and see if he had my hundred-dollar bill. He did so, and 
finally found it in his fob pocket. After I got my money 
back I let him up, and told him to get off the boat ; and I 
said, " If you come back while I am here, I will beat j^our 
head off." He lit out. I gave a black man a gun, and 
told him not to let the fellow on the boat. The next day I 
was told he was saying he was going to kill me ; so I got a 
double barrel shot-gun, and sent, him word to come down 
and see me. He did not come, but went down to Hog's 
Point, took a boat, and left that part of the country, as it had 
got too hot for him around there. I saw him some years 
later at Laramie City, Dakota, and put the police onto him. 
They gave him one hour to get out, and that is the last I 
have ever heard of him. 

8 



114 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



CAUGHT A WHALE. 



An old friend of mine by the name of William Hines 
(who was one of the best steamboat mates that ever ran on 
the river) and ! were laying off at one time in New Orleans, 
and we took a notion we would get a yacht and have a big- 
sail. We laid in a supply of provisions, and did not forget 
a five-gallon jug of whisky. We went out to the lake, 
hired a yacht, and started. Bill was pretty full, so I told 
him to go below and lay down for a while, and I would 
look after the boat. The wind was shifting about, and I 
was afraid the boom would knock him overboard. 1 was 
sailing along at a fine rate, tacking about with the wind, 
and did not notice that Bill had come up on deck until I 
heard him yell out to me. I looTced around and saw the big 
fat fellow floundering in the watei about lOO feet away. I 
I gave her all the rudder, downed sail, and then threw out 
a line. Bill swam up and caught hold of the line, and then 
I began pulling him in. I had landed many big suckers, 
but Bill was no sucker; he was a whale. I got him up 
alongside, but I was not man enough to pull him up, as the 
boat stood about four feet out of the water. He was so full 
of whisky (and water) that he could not help himself. He 
was about played out, when he said to me, "George Fm a 
goner." I told him to hold on just a minute. I got a small 
Ihie, took two half-hitches around his arm, and then made 
fast to the boat. I knew he could not go down unless his 
arm pulled out, and there was no danger of that. I took a 
rest, and then let on as if I was going to raise sail, when 
Bill said, " George, what are you going to do? " I looked 
back at him and said, " I have caught a whale, and am not 
able to pull him in, so I'm going to tow him ashore." Bill 
looked at me just long enough to satisfy himself that I was 
in earnest, and said, "For God's sake, George, give me 
one more pull, for I don't want you to sail in with me in 
tow." So I went to him, as I had got rested, and he had 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



IIS 



got sober; we pulled together, and I soon had the big 
fellow on board. We sailed around for some time ; but 
when we had to make a tack, you can bet your life that Bill 
was on the lookout for the boom. Every time we would 
consult the jug, Bill would say, "George, don't tell the 
boys about how much fun we have had on this trip, 
will you? " 

THE DECK-HAND. 

The deck-hands of the steamer Niagara had been 
drinking, and some of them were a little drunk. They 
came up to get more of the fighting stuff, and got into some 
difficulty with the barkeeper. I was sitting near the bar at 
the time ; and as I was always ready to do my friends a 
favor, I went out on the guards and tried to stop the fuss, 
and get the men to go down on deck. One big fellow, 
who was the fighting man of the crew and a favorite with 
the mate, thought it was none of my business, and the first 
thing I knew he cut loose at me. I saw it in time to get 
up my guard. I did not want to have any difficulty on a 
boat with any of the officers or crew, so I tried to quiet the 
fellow down ; but he would not have it, but came at me 
again. I could not avoid it, as he was too drunk to have 
any sense; so I let fly, caught him under the chin, and 
brought him down. He was a game one, for he was up 
and at me once more. I then let into him and gave him a 
pretty good licking. They took him down on deck, and 
it was not long until Tom Hawthorn, the mate, came up 
and asked who it was that had whipped one of his men. 
The barkeeper told him all about the fuss ; but he was 
mad, and would not excuse any man for defending him- 
self against one of his men. I was in the barber shop at 
the time, but the barkeeper sent me word to look out for 
Tom. I went and got my old friend (Betsy Jane), and 
waited for the fray. I was in the hall when Tom came up 
looking for me. He walked up and said, " Can't you find 



Il6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

any one else to whip, without jumping on to one of my 
men ? " I knew he had been told the circumstances, and 
if he had any sense he would not blame me ; but he was 
mad; and then he intended to teach me a lesson. I knew 
he would not listen to reason, so I said, " I gave that fel- 
low just what he deserved." He began to pull off his coat, 
and at the same time said, "Any man that licks one of my 
men has got to Hck me." I saw I had to fight, so I off 
v/ith my coat and waited for him. He struck out, but I 
caught it on my arm. I did not want to use my head un- 
less it was necessary ; but as he was a tall man with a long 
reach, he had the advantage. So I watched my chance, 
then ran in, caught him around the waist, and downed him. 
It was hard work to keep the old head from taking a hand, 
but I gave him several good ones on his face and neck. 
He tried to rise up, when I got in an upper cut which set- 
ded him. I let him up, and he went down on deck. He 
had it in for me, until one night in a saloon, when he 
hit a man ; the fellow got the drop, and would have shot 
him if I had not taken a hand. After that wc were good 
friends, and he would say to me, "George, you are the 
only man that can whip my deck-hands." 

THE BLACK (LEG) CAVALRY. 

" For those that fly may fijjhi: ag'.iin, 
Which he can never do that's ^!ain; 
Hence, timely running's no mean part 
Of conduct in the martial art ; 
By which some glorious feats achieve, 
As citizens by breaking thrive." 

When the war broke out, some of the gamblers in New 
Orleans got up a cavalry company, and named it the Wil- 
son Rangers. I was a member of the company. We 
armed and equipped ourselves, and the ladies said we were 
the finest looking set of men in the army. If fine uniforms 
and good horses had anything to do with it, we were a fine 
body. When we were ordered out to drill (which was 



ON THE MISSISSirPI. II7 

every day), we would mount our fine horses, gallop out 
back of the city, and the first orders we would receive 
from our commanding officer would be : " Dismount ! 
Hitch horses! March! Hunt shade! Begin playing!" 
There was not a company of cavalry in the Southern army 
that obeyed orders more promptly than we did ; for in less 
than ten minutes from the time the order was given, there 
v^ould not be a man in the sun. They were all in the 
shade, seated on the ground in little groups of four, five, 
and six ; and in each group could be seen a little book of 
tactics (or at least it looked something like a book at a 
distance). We would remain in the shade until the cool 
of the evening, when the orders would be given : "Cease 
pla\ ing ! Put up books ! Prepare to mount ! Mount ! 
March !" When we would get back to the city, the people 
would come out, cheer, wave handkerchiefs, and present 
us with bouquets ; for we had been out drilling in the hot 
sun, preparing ourselves to protect their homes from the , 
Northern invaders. 

After we had become proficient in drill, we were or- 
dered to do patrol duty in the city. The citizens called us 
their defenders ; and we did defend them, so long as there 
was no hostile foe within five hundred miles of them. We 
were as brave a body of men as there was in the South, 
until the news reached us that Commodore Farr-^crut was 
bombarding Forts Jackson and St. Philip ; then we began 
to realize that the war was getting pretty close to home, 
and we were a little fearful that our knowledge of the tac- 
tics would be but little protection to us if the forts should 
capitulate. We threw aside the old books we had been 
studjdng for so long a time, and took up a new edition that 
our commander told us was much better in times of imme- 
diate danger. So for about six days v/e devoted ourselves 
to studying how to get out of the "jack-pot" we had got 
into, without losing our stake. 

We were not kept very long in suspense, for early one 
beautiful April morning we learned the terrible news that 



I 1 8 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

Farragut's fleet had passed the forts, and General Butler 
with a large land force was marching on the city. We 
heard the old familiar orders : " Prepare to mount ! 
Mount ! March ! " But we did not swing into our sad- 
dles feeling as gay as when we were on our way to the 
drill-grounds. We were ordered to the front, and as we- 
rode through the streets the ladies presented us with 
bouquets, and cheered after us ; but then there was but little 
cheer in that fine body of gamblers. We had many times 
before attacked the enemy (Tiger) without fear or trem- 
bling ; but now we were marching to meet a foe with which 
we were but slightly acquainted. As we passed the old 
drill-grounds on our way to the front, there was a sigh 
passed the lips of every man, and our horses turned in, for 
they (poor dumb brutes) did not know that things had 
changed. 

We were about six miles below the city when the Yan- 
kees saw us ; but we did not see them, as they were about 
four miles distant. They were up in the rigging with their 
glasses, looking for just such suckers as we were ; and 
they turned loose a salute of canister, which came buzzing 
about our ears, and the next instant we heard an order that 
we had never heard before: "Retreat!" but we under- 
stood it, and lost no time in obeying the command ; for I 
believe we would have executed the movement without 
orders, if they had not been given just after the first salute- 
We had a great deal just then to make us feel nervous , 
but we were thankful for one thing, and that was, we had 
good fast horses. I had taken mine off the race track, 
and I was glad of it, for in that race I came out several 
lengths ahead. When we got back to the city we dis- 
mounted without orders, and even forgot to tell the darkies 
to give our horses a good rubbing-down. We cut the but 
tons off our coats, buried our sabres, and tried to make 
ourselves look as much like peaceful citizens as possible ; 
for we had enough of military glory, and were tired of 
war. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. II 9 

After destroying immense quantities of cotton, sugar, 
steamboats, ships, and other property, to prevent its falling 
into the hands of the Unionists, General Lovell with his 
Confederate troops retreated into the interior of the State, 
and left the city without any other defense except our com- 
pany of cavalry ; but as we had buried our arms and cut the 
brass buttons off our beautiful brown corduroy suits, the cit- 
izens hadn't as much confidence in our ability to defend as 
they had when the enemy was five hundred miles away. The 
merchants expected that the Yankees would sack the city, 
so they threw open their stores and told everybody to take 
all they wanted. Bush was boarding with me at the time, 
and as he was one of the biggest eaters in the world, I 
wanted more than I could carry ; so I hired a dray (for 
which I had to pay $io), and loaded it down to the guards. 
We put on a hogshead of sugar, twenty-five hams, a sack 
of coffee, box of tea, firkin of butter, barrel of potatoes, 
some hominy, beans, canned fruits, etc. I would have put 
on more, but the dray wouldn't hold it; and as the load 
started up Canal Street, I thought, when Bush gets away 
with all that stuff", I'll make him change his boarding- 
house. After laying in my stock, I went down to the river 
to see the fleet come in, and there were all of our company, 
but they did not make the slightest resistance. The Cap- 
tain said, " It's no use trying to bluff' them fellows, for they 
have got a full hand.'' 

BUTLER IN NEW ORLEANS. 

General Butler took possession of the city the ist day 
of May, 1862. His troops gutted the bank, but did not mo- 
lest the merchants ; so those fellows that had given their 
stuff" away were kicking themselves for doing so. He 
closed up all the gambling-houses, and then issued licenses 
for public gambling to any one who would pay the fee and 
take his brother in as a partner. His profits must have 
been enough to make him independently rich without the 



I20 FOR'IV YEARS A GAMBLER 

spoons. He kept the city very clean, but old yellow-jack 
got in, and then Ben got a furlough and went up to Wash- 
ington, and he took the spoons with him. He took the 
marble statue of Henry Clay out of the state-house at 
Baton Rouge and shipped it to his home in Massachusetts. 
He could not hide that as easily as he could the spoons, so« 
after the war the United States Government made him 
return it, and that nearly killed him. 

I had the race-track, and was running games out at the 
lake. I was making a great deal of money, and would 
work the boats when I had time. Some one told Butler 
that I called him names, so he sent for me, and threat- 
ened to send me to Tortugas, but I talked him out of that. 
Some of his officers lost their money against my games and 
then kicked. The result was, old Ben sent for me again. 
This time I did not get off so easily. He took me before 
the Provost Judge, who fined me $1,000 and sent me to jail 
for one year, and no amount of money could get me out. 
There were some of the best men in the South in with me, 
and our friends on the outside did not forget us We had 
good beds, and everything to eat that the market afforded. 
We played poker, and I was making jnoney all the time. 
I would fee the jailer, and at night he would take me out 
in the city, so that my prison life was not so very bad. 
Butler made us a visit one day just at dinner time, and 
when he saw the birds and wine, you should have heard 

him roar. " Why," said he, " those d d rascals are 

living better than I ever did." The jailer told him that 
our friends sent in the luxuries. He looked at our big 
beds, shower bath, and other surroundings, and said, "I 

have a d d notion to send them to the penitentiary ;" 

but the jailer told him it was pulled down, so he had to 
give up his d d notion, and we were glad of it. 

I had been in jail for six months, when one day Gov- 
ernor Shipley visited us. He asked the jailer, "Which 
is Devol ?*.' I was introduced to him, and he asked me 
where I was raised. T loM him in Ohio. He sjiid the 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 

crime I was in for was not so very serious, and he told the 
jailer to turn me out, and I should come to his office. I 
was let out, and I reported to the Governor. He told me 
not to beat the officers ; I promised I would not, so I was 
once more a free man. 

When Butler heard that I was let out on the Governor's 
orders, he was as mad as the d— 1 ; so, to get even, he con- 
fiscated all my horses, which had cost me over $50,000. I 
had promised the Governor that I would not beat the offi- 
cers ; but I took my promise bach when Ben took my 
horses, and it was not long after that I caught a sucker 
paymaster for $19,000, and they did not find out who it 
was that won the greenbacks. I made a pile of money, 
bought substitutes for some of ray horses, and opened up 
the race-course again. Ben Butler and I got to be friendly, 
and he gave me two silver spoons to remember him by, 
and I have them yet. 

THE PAYMASTERS $3,500. 

I remember a game of poker I had once coming down 
from Cairo to New Orleans, during the war. There was a 
paymaster in the game who lost about $3,500, and when 
we got to Memphis I found out before we landed that he 
was going to squeal ; so I went to the mate and asked him 
to put me away where they could not find me, as I knew 
when the soldiers came down to the boat I would have to 
divulge. He put me down in a little locker that was for- 
ward of the main hatch, and rolled barrels on it to hide 
the trap-door. Well, they came down, took lights, and 
searched the boat and hold, the ladies' and gentlemen's 
cabin, and at last gave up. After I had staid down there 
for eight hours, the boat left for New Orleans. I came up 
into the cabin, and you ought to have seen the passengers 
look at me. They did not know what to make of my ap- 
pearance before them ; but I told them I was up town and 
did not know anything of what was going on ; and I took 
in many a dollar after that. 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



GENERAL BANKS' DETECTIVE. 

I had a big game of roulette one night during the war, 
when the Northern officers were traveling up and down 
the river. The boat was full of officers, and General 
Banks was on board. Up stepped a big fellow from 
Texas, who was a detective for General Banks. He pulled 
out a $ioo Confederate bill, and laid it on the red. I 
picked it up and said I had no Confederate money to pay 
him in, in case he won. He got very saucy, and went over 
to the bar, where I could hear every word he said, and 
told the barkeeper that as soon as I closed that game he 
would whip me. So I closed up and sent my wheel down 
stairs in the locker, and walked up to the bar and asked 
him to take a drink, so that he would make some remark. 
He said, "I pick my company." I let drive and knocked 
the ginger out of him, and kept him spinning around until 
he yelled out. Then came the rush. General Banks and 
staff, followed by all the boat's officers. The fellow was 
bleeding like a stuck pig. The clerk told the Genera? 
how he talked, and he said he got just what he deserved. 
I then sent down and got my wheel, opened, and all the 
officers played except General Banks. I was sorry he 
did not appreciate the game, and change in a few green- 
backs. 

THE U. S. DETECTIVE'S BLUFF. 

I was coming up once on the steamer Fairchtld, of 
Louisville, and had won considerable money. There was 
on board a United States detective. He was asleep at the 
time the games were going on, and when he came to his 
breakfast the next morning, there was a great deal of 
kicking going on about the money and diamonds that the 
gamblers had won the night before. Some of the passen- 
gers at the table knew the detective, and when they got 
through breakfast they all got with him, and they told 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 23 

him finally they would give him half they had lost if he 
would get it back. So he saw a big opening, and con- 
cluded to make a big bluff to get the money. He came 
to me as I was standing by the office, and said, "Are you 
the man who won all the money and diamonds last 
night?" I told him I was the man. He said, "You 
must give it all back — every cent." That made me laugh, 
and I think it made him mad, for he pulled back his coat 
and showed me his badge. Well, I thought he was as 
good a sucker as any of the rest, or he would not make 
such a break as that ; and when he spoke of my swindling 
them, I said to him, " Now, sir, I will show you just how 
I beat those fellov/s ; and I pulled out three cards, and 
said, " If you will walk over to the table, I will show you ; 
then if you think there is any swindle about it, I will re- 
fund every dollar." He said, "All right." I commenced 
to play them over, and had him guessing lively, when up 
stepped the capper and took a look at the cards, and said, 
"I will bet you $500 I can turn the king." He put up 
the $500, and did not turn the card ; so he and the detec- 
tive began to whisper to each other, the capper telling him 
about a spot that was on the right card. Then he made a 
proposition to go me $500 more. I put up the money to 
cover his, and he turned the right card, took his money 
and walked away from the game. Then the detective 
said, " I will bet you $50 myself" I put up. He laid up 
$50 and turned the right card. One of the bystanders 
spoke up and said, " He is only baiting you along till he 
gets a big bet." I replied, "You are about right." He 
said, "I will bet you $50 once more." So I put up the 
amount, and he turned the winning card again. So up 
stepped the capper and said, " I will bet you $1,000 I can 
turn it." "That is just the kind of a bet I like to get." 
I put up $1,000, and he put up his. Just as he was going 
to turn, he got the detective by the collar and got his ad- 
vice. So tJie detective told him which one it was. "Are 
you sure?" said the capper. "No, not sure when he 



124 



inORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



gets a big bet like that ; but I think so." You see, he had 
been told I was only baiting for a big bet. Well, the re- 
sult was, the capper won the bet, and that made the detec- 
tive swell up like a toad. He would not listen to any of 
the outsiders' talk any more, but offered to bet $200. I 
said, " If that is all the money you have, you had better 
keep it." That made him mad, and he pulled out his long 
pocket-book and said, " I have got as much money as 
you." *' Perhaps," said I, "you might cripple yourself if 
you lost much money." " No," said he ; "I am no child. 
When I bet on a fair game like this, I expect to either win 
or lose." He counted out the money, and I saw he had 
the $100 he won from me and a little more left. I told him 
I would bet him $1,100 that he could not turn the king ; so 
he put up. Just as he was about to turn the card, I looked 
at him and said, " I will let you back out, and give you 
$100 to take down your money and not turn." " No, no," 
said he; "not I." "Well," I said, "let her go;" and 
over she went, but he lost this time. 

He drew a long breath and sat down in a chair, and he 
looked like a sick kitten. Then he got up and went to his 
room, and finally came out. I thought there would be the 
d — 1 to pay. He called me to one side, and said, " Did 
you think I was betting in earnest ?" "Oh, no," said I, 
" you were only betting in fun ; but I was just keeping in 
earnest." " Well," said he, "you are not going to keep 
my money ? " " Oh, yes." " I don't care what you do 
with those other fellows' money, but I want mine," said 
he, "and I must have it." " Well, you cannot have a 
cent of it." I backed against the bar, and told him he 
must be crazy if he thought I would give him a cent back, 
as I never gave a sucker back his mone3^ He then made 
a motion to his hip ; but I had old Betsy Jane in my coat 
pocket with my hand on it, and my partner was there to 
assist in holding the fort. He saw his bluff was no good, 
and he began to give me taffy, saying he had just got that 
money as. a reward for catching a man, and that he had 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



125 



worked six months to get it, and that he had a large fam- 
ily. I told him to go out among the passengers and tell 
them that he had lost his money at a fair game, and then 
come to my room and " knock at the back door, and they 
will not see you come in." Well, he got among them all 
over the boat, and told them it was a fair game, and he had 
not a word to say. He came to my room and told me what 
he had done. I counted out $500 and gave it to him, and 
told him that if he had not worked so hard for it he never 
would have got a cent back. So he went oft' contented, 
and there was no more squealing on the boat. 

THE YOUNG MAN FROM NEW YORK. 

During the war I took my gambling tools and started 
for Brownsville, Texas, and Metamoras. I took passage 
on board a screw steamer, which had sails also. There 
were about forty-five passengers, all told. The first two 
days out of New Orleans were pleasant ; but there came 
on a squall, which tore the sails into threads and came near 
swamping the vessel. It stopped blowing in about half an 
hour, and all was calm. There was a young m in on board 
whose father was a very rich man in New York, and had 
sent his son over to attend to some business. While in 
New Orleans he became acquainted with a rich firm, and 
through his letters from his father they intrusted him with 
$12,000 to be delivered in Brownsville. 

It happened that the young man was on deck during 
the storm, and had to lie flit down and hold on to a coil 
of chain. After the storm he came into the cabin and said, 
"I have had bad luck," Of course we were all anxious 
to know what had happened to him. He said he had had 
twelve one thousand-dollar notes in the side pocket of his 
coat, and the wind had blown his coat over his head, and 
the bundle went into the Gulf. He said it was money that 
had been put into his care to be delivered at Brownsville, 
and that his father would have to stand the loss. We all 



I 26 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

felt sorry for the fellow, but it soon died out, and there was 
no more said about it till we got to Brownsville. 

When we got to Bagdad and took the stage, he sat 
close to me and commenced talking about losing the 
money. He said he felt ashamed to show up at the firm's 
office. That made me think he was crooked, and I con- 
cluded to keep an eye on him. We had not finished our 
dinners at the hotel in Brownsville, when in marched a 
squad of soldiers, and the Captain asked which man was 
Devol. I raised up and said, "That is my name." He 
said the General in command wanted me. "All right," I 
said. I went down to headquarters, and when I got there 
the General said, "Where is that money you won from 
that young man, coming over on the ship ? " I told him I 
played no cards with any young man on the vessel. "Have 
you got proof of that ?" said the business man to whom 
the money belonged, "Yes," said I, and I sent to the 
hotel and got the Captain and the purser, who testified that 
the young man did not play a card coming over. So I 
was acquitted, and that was the last of it, as they were all 
satisfied that the boy did nothing wrong, and really had 
lost the money. 

But I had him spotted ; for it takes a rascal to catch a 
rascal. The Captain and the purser were the only two 
who did gamble going over, and they were very fond of 
poker. So my partner and self sat in, and we played four- 
handed all the way over. We realized about $1,300, which 
paid our expenses and a few hundred dollars besides. 

About six of us agreed to go over to Metamoras that 
night and spend the evening. The young man said to me 
that he would like to go along. I said "Ail right," so we 
all started, and we had a fine time drinking wine and pony 
brandy. We went into a gambling-house, and the roulette 
wheel was going, and a lively game at that. There was 
one man who was playing very high, and I asked his 
name. They said it was the Mexican General Cortenas, 
who was in command of Metamoras. Well, I took out a 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 27 

twenty-dollar bill and laid it on the red, and it came red ; 
I let it lay, and it came red again. I took the $80 and put 
it over on the black, and it won again ; so I picked up the 
money and walked out into the bar-room, and called up 
every one in the house. At that time a Spaniard would 
run a knife through you for a dollar, if he caught you in 
the dark ; and a man was not safe to step outside, if they 
knew he had money on his person. He wanted his pistol 
in his hand. 

Well, the young man was delighted with my playing, 
and said : " I wish you would play again. I want to put 
in with you and take half of your game." "All right," 
said I ; " after a while." I wanted to get a few more ponies 
into him, for I was sure he had the money. So I changed 
the drinks to wine, and I could see his eyes snap at every 
glass. At last I said, " I guess I will make another play." 
He stepped back into another room, and came to me and 
handed me a brand-new one thousand-dollar bill that had 
never been crumpled. I handed it back to him, and told 
him I would put up $500 of my own, and for him to put 
his money back ; that if I lost, he could get it changed and 
give me $250. "Ail right," said he; and I bet $100 on 
the black, and won it, I bet the same on the red, and it 
came black again. Then I bet $200 on the red, and it 
came red. The result was, I played along see-sawing until 
I was $400 winner, and I quit. I handed my friend $200, 
and told him I was too tight to play with good judg- 
ment. 

We had our fun out, and got over to Brownsville about 
daylight in the morning. We all slept that day, and went 
over that night again. We did not gamble any that night, 
but drank wine and smoked our Havanas, and had a good 
time in general. That night my friend said tome: "I 
wish I was as smart as you at cards. I could make plenty 
of money." I said to him, " I can teach you." " Well," 
said he, " if you get into any game, I want to be an equal 
partner." He did not know anything about my partner 



I 23 I'OKTY YEARS A GAMBLKK 

who came over with me, as I had posted him to keep away 
from me My partner was a very quiet fellow, who lived 
in New Orleans. His name was William McGawley. 

Well, I told him perhaps I might get up a game with 
some one. As I was saving him for myself and partner, 
I did not want the money split up into too many parts. I 
had too much sense to play in Brownsville, so I fixed up a 
plan for him and me to take the stage and go to Bagdad, 
to see if I could not find some one there to play poker. I 
told McGawley to pay the bill at the hotel, and come to 
Bagdad the next day with the baggage, which he did. 
The next evening my young New York friend and I were 
sitting on the porch at the hotel, when my young triend 
espied him, and said to me, "You recollect the man who 
played in the game coming over in the vessel ? " " Yes," 
said I; "there were three besides myself; which one do 
you mean ?" "I don't mean the Captain or the purser, 
but the Other gentleman." "Yes," said I, "I recollect 
him." " Well/" said he, " I just saw him down stairs. I 
am positive that it is he." I said, " Let us go down and' 
see him." So we both went down and shook hands with 

him. 

My New York friend was very much pleased to see 
him, thinking I might get a game of poker out of him. 
So I said, " It is very dull here ; what will we do to pass 
away the time?" I said, "Perhaps we might get up a 
little game of poker to help us out." McGawley con- 
sented to play a little while, so we went and got a room in 
the hotel and some checks McGawley asked, "What 
limit will we play ?" I said, "There will be no limit in 
the game." "All right," said he. I did not want to dwell 
too long on that $12,000. McGawley went out on pur- 
pose to let the gentleman get out his money. The New 
Yorker asked me how much I would require. I said, " It 
is going to be an unlimited game, and you had better give 
me what money you can spare, for if I beat one good hand 
for him I will break him." He handed me six one thou- 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 29 

sand-dollar notes. Well, we went to work ; and you bet it 
was lively. I started in $2,000 winner, and you ought to 
have seen my partner's eyes snap. I don't mean McGaw- 
ley, of course, for he was as quiet as a lamb. Finally my 
luck changed, and he beat one hand for $4,000. Then I 
did commence to kick at my bad luck, and we soon made 
up another purse. After playing some two hours more, 
McGawley had ail our money; so I said to him, "As you 
have broke us both, will you lend me $1,000 for a few 
days, until I get some from New Orleans ? " He said, 
"Certainly," pulled out the money and handed it to me, 
and I gave my New York partner half, saying, " Perhaps 
we will have better luck next time, as I will have all the 
money I want, soon, from New Orleans ; then T will tackle 
him again, and of course you are in with everything that 
I do." 

I had some $600 in silver that I did not know how 
to get on board the ship, that laid outside of Bagdad, 
without paying duty on it. So I went to a man from New 
Orleans, whom I knew well, by the name of Eugene Du- 
pratt. I told him I had this silver, and asked him if he 
could get it on board the vessel, as he had lighters running 
all the time. It was about equal to running the block- 
ade, or smuggling. " Well," said he, "I will take your- 
self, partner, trunks, and silver, and land you safe on 
board the ship, for $200." " I will give you the money." 
That night we slipped the things out of the^hotel and got 
them safely on board the lighter, and were soon on board 
the vessel, and in two hours were under sail for New 
Orleans. We got home all right, and in ten days after we 
landed we were both broke, and ready for another trip. 

BROKE A SNAP GAME. 

We left New Orleans on a Red River packet, and had 
been out about an hour, wtien a man came up to me and 
said, " Captain, have you any objection to a man opening 
9 



130 FORTY YEARS A GAMJJLER 

faro on your boat ? " I said, " No ; you can open any time 
you please." He took me to be Captain Heath, and I 
knew he did not care. He said, " I will open after sup- 
per." It was near that time then, and I thought I must go 
to work if I wanted to beat this man. I found out what 
room he occupied, then told my partner to stay and enter- 
tain him till I returned. I went to his room, and found an 
old-fashioned valise that held his tools. I tried the keys I 
had, and found one to fit. I opened the valise, took out 
the cards and punched every one of them ; then I put them 
back and carefully locked the valise, went back and invited 
them to take a drink. Then we went to supper, and after 
it was over the old fellow brought out his kit and opened 
a game. He shuffled and put the cards in the box. T 
asked him what limit he was going to deal. He said, 
" If any of you put too much on a card, I'll tell you." A 
good many of the passengers changed in, and he had a 
lively game. I stood alongside of him, so I could look 
down into the deck ; and when I saw white show, I would 
copper in the big square, and my partner would play the 
other end and middle open — for when the white showed, it 
would be an ace or deuce. In this way we got the old fel- 
low rattled. He changed decks every deal, but had the 
same bad luck. We finally broke him, and then won his 
tools. We returned the latter, paid his passage to Shreve- 
port, and gave him $50. After breaking up the faro man, 
I said, " Gentlemen, I have a game here in which I only 
need three cards." I opened out, had a fine play, and 
took in all the money, watches, and pistols that they had. 
We were then ready to light out, as we had won $2,400 
from the old faro dealer, and aboiit $1,200, besides the 
watches and pistols, at monte. We bid the boys good-bye, 
.md got ofi^ at Baton Rouge. 



CN THE MISSISSIPPI. I31 



STOLEN MONEY. 



I landed at Natchez one evening just after dark, on the 
steamer General ^litman. Some one told me that a lady- 
had been robbed of $3,500 that day by some smart thieves 
They had watched her go into the bank and draw the 
money, and then walk over to her carriage, a short dis- 
tance from the bank. One of the crooks took off his hat, 
put a pen behind his ear, ran over to the carriage, and 
said : " Madam, you must excuse me, for I have made a 
mistake in the money I gave you. You need not get out, 
but sit still ; I v/ill go back and rectify it." She handed 
him the money, never to see it or him again. After we 
backed out from Natchez, I opened out my wheel in the 
barber shop. The passengers came in and played until 
I A. M., when I closed up. While I was packing up my 
wheel, a fellow came up to me and said, " I've got a man 
with me who has got about $1,700, and I want him to lose 
it. He loves to play poker ; do you think you can beat 
him?" "Oh, yes," I replied, "I can come pretty near 
doing it." He said, " I want half, as he is a thief, and no 
good. I had to divide $3,500 with him that I got in Nat- 
chez to-day.' * Well, bring him to me, and I 'vsill try^ 
it ;" and he did so. I was not long in doing him up for 
his part of the stealings. I divided with the other thief, 
and then opened out my rouge et noir game. The other 
fellow dropped in, and I won his part of the money, so I 
had it all. I bid him good night and went to bed ; but I 
could not sleep, because I knew that the one I beat last 
would rob me if he got a chance. I laid in my bed a long 
time. Presentl}- I heard some one feel the knob of the 
outside door. I was in the upper berth, and had my pistol 
under my pillow. My partner was in the lower berth, for 
he had not been well that night, and went to bed earl}-. 
Pretty soon,. bang went the lock, and a piece of it fell on 
the fljor. Then everything was still for some time, and at 



132 



FORTY YEARS A GAMIUvKK 



last in he came. Just as he commenced to look about him 
to see how the land lay, I pulled down on him with my gun, 
as I could see him plainly by the light through the tran- 
som. He saw the gun, and did not stop on the order of 
his going, but he went at once. I got up, dressed myself, 
and went out to the bar. There was Mr. Thief. I accused 
him of being in my room, but he denied it. 1 knew he 
was lying, but I thought best not to do anything with him, 
for fear I might have to give up the " stolen money," and 
I had not lost any myself. 

SIGNAL SERVICE 

Before the war they had an old steamer fitted up as a 
wharf-boat and lodging-house at Baton Rouge, to accom- 
modate people that landed late at night, or would be wait- 
ing for a boat. This old boat was headquarters for the 
gamblers that ran the river. Many a night we have played 
cards in the old cabin until morning, or until our boat 
would arrive. When thoroughbred gamblers meet around 
the table at a game of cards, then comes the tug of war. 
We would have some very hard games at times, and we 
found it pretty hard to hold our own. My partner pro- 
posed that we fix up some plan to down the gamblers that 
played with us on the old boat, so we finally hit upon a 
scheme. We bored a hole under one of the tables, and 
another under one of the beds in a state-room opposite. 
Then we fixed a nail into a spring, and fastened the spring 
on the under side of the floor, so that the nail would come 
up through the floor under the table. Next we attached a 
fine wire to the spring, and ran it up into the state-room. 
Then we bored a hole in the bulkhead of the state-room, 
just over the top berth, so that a person could lie in the 
berth and look out into the cabin. Now we were ready for 
the thoroughbreds. When we would get one of our smart 
friends, we -would seat him at our table in his»chair, which 
was always on the side of our state-room. We called it 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



^33 



ours, for we had fitted it up just to suit us ; and for fear 
some one would use it when we were out travehng for 
our health, we paid for it all the time. We had a good 
boy that liked to lie down and make money, so we would 
put him in the upper berth while the game was in progress. 
He would look through the peep-hole, and if our friend 
had one pair he would pull the wire once ; if two pair, 
twice ; if threes, three times ; if fours, four times, etc. We 
would kick off one boot and put our foot over the nail, 
and then we would be able to tell what hand our friend 
held. One day I was playing a friend at our table, and he 
was seated in his chair. I got the signals all 'right for 
some time, and then the under-current seemed to be 
broken. I waited for the signals until I could not wait 
any longer, for I was a little behind (time), so I picked up 
a spittoon and let fly at our room. That restored communi- 
cations, and I received the signals all right. My friend 
wanted to know what I threw the spittoon for. I told him 
the cards were running so bad that I got mad ; and that an 
old nigger had told me once it was a good sign to kick 
over a spittoon when playing cards ; so I thought I would 

not only kick it over, but would break the d d thing all 

to pieces. He replied, "I noticed that your luck changed 
just after you threw her, and I will try it the next time I 
play in bad luck." 

GOT UP TOO SOON. 

We were passengers with Captain J. M. White on board 
the steamer Katie, bound for New Orleans, one night, and 
I had taken a look over the boat, but there was nothing in 
sight. I was sitting in the hall near the bar, drinking wine 
and enjoying myself, when a fine looking gentleman came 
out of his room near by and asked me if supper was over. 
I told him it was, and asked him to join me in some wine, 
as he looked like he wanted something. He accepted the 
invitation, and told me he was hungry. I called the porter 
and told him to go to the pantry and get the gentleman a 



134 



I'ORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



lunch, which he did. He thanked me for my kindness, 
for he thought I acted from pure motives (which I did), 
and then invited me to join him in some wine. I accepted, 
for I thought his intentions were honorable. While we 
were talking and drinking, I asked the barkeeper if he 
had any of the tickets that the gentleman played the new 
game with before supper. He said he had, and gave me 
some of them. I began throwing. We bet the drinks, 
cigars, and drinks again. I lost most of the tim.e. My 
capper lost a bet of $500, when the gentleman said : "Good 
gracious, man! where are your eyes? Can't you see that 
the baby card has a spot on it ? " My partner told him he 
had not noticed the spot, so the man pointed it out to him. 
Then he made me another bet, and won. 

The gentleman then began to think he was smarter than 
the man who had lost $500 and could not win it back until 
he told him about the little spot. I saw he was worked up, 
so I asked him if he wanted to win something before I 
quit, as I had no idea of betting money on the game when 
I sat down ; but I would bet him $100 he could not turn the 
card with the baby on. He flashed his leather, when I 
saw several large bills ; but I pretended not to notice them, 
and said, " Perhaps you had better not bet, for if you lose 
it might distress you ; but if I lose T will not mind it much, 
as my father has five plantations.'' He did not like for me 
to think that the loss of a paltry $100 would distret^s him, 
so he said, " I can afford to bet you $2,000, win or lose." 
I'hat made me mad, so I said, " I will make it $5,000, if 
you like." He knew he would win; but he was no hog, 
and did not want me to ask my old dad for money so soon. 
My partner wanted him to make it $5,000, and offered to 
take half, but I said, "No; one at a time, gentlemen.'' 
Then the fellow put up, saying to my partner, "I thank 
you, but I am able to take it myself." He turned the 
spotted fawn, and found that, if he was not a hog, he was 
a sucker. I'then told him I thought he was too much ex- 
cited, and invited him to join me in a drink; for I was 



ON THE MlisSlSSIPPl. 135 

always very liberal about treating a man that had but little 
if any money. He accepted the invitation, for now he 
knew I was a gentleman, and that my motives were hon- 
orable. After taking our drinks, he bid me good-night 
and walked away, and I thought I heard him say, *' 1 
would have been better off if I had remained in bed until 
morning." I thought myself that he "got up too soon." 

THE YELLOW JEANS. 

At one time on the Upper Mississippi, while playing 
monte, I caught a Jew from Quincy, 111., who had been 
down to St. Louis buying a stock of jewelry. I won all 
his money and the most of his best jewelry. I would not 
gamble for anything but good stuff' in the jewelry line. 
After I beat the Jew he set up a big kick, and got some of 
the other losers to join him. They finally agreed that they 
would make me give up ; so they all got after me, and I 
knew there would be some fun. I got my gun, backed up 
against the side of the cabin, and said : " Now, gentlemen, 
I am ready to pay out ; the bank is open. The first one 
that comes shall be the first served, so don't be back- 
ward." But, somehow or another, no one wanted to be 
first, and I stood pat until the boat landed at a town called 
Warsaw ; then I backed out of the cabin, down stairs, and 
oflT the boat. When they sav/ me on the shore, they set up 
a yell of "Police! Police! Arrest the fellow with the 
yellow jeans suit." The marshal came running down, and 
I told him I was the man they wanted arrested ; so he 
waltzed me up town, and nearly all the passengers followed 
us — some to get their money back, and others to see the 
fun. The Captain said he would hold the boat if they 
would decide the case at once, so the Mayor convened his 
court and we went into the trial. I had sent for the best 
lawyer in the town, and he said he would clear me for 
$50. The Jew was put on the stand, and he swore I 
snatched his jewelry from liim, and a great deal more of 



1^6 I-ORTV YEARS A GAMBLER 

the same sort. Some of the passengers that had seen the 
game swore they did not see any one do any snatching ex- 
cept the Jew. My lawyer handled the case so nicely that 
I was acquitted. Then you should have heard the passen- 
gers laugh at the Jew for all his trouble. They would ask 
him if he did not want to trade some jewelry for a yellow 
jeans suit ; but he did not have any good jewelry left, 
and he knew I was not sucker enough to trade for any 
other kind. There was another boa't at the landing, and 
many of the passengers went up to hear the trial. I went 
on board the other boat, and in a short time was on my 
way back to St. Louis. During the trip I ran up a poker 
hand in a game of euchre, and lifted a man out of $300, 
which more than paid the expenses of the trial. 

HE KNEW MY HAND. 

We were on board a Red River packet called the y. K. 
Bell, and we had not made any preparations to gamble. 
After a while a gentleman came up and asked me if I ever 
played poker. My partners, Tom Brown and Holly Chap- 
pell, and some of the officers of the boat, were sitting there 
and heard the conversation. They had to put their hand- 
kerchiefs in their mouths to keep from laughing, when they 
heard my answer, "No, I did not." "Well," said he, 
"I will teach you if you will sit down " He got a deck of 
cards at the bar, and commenced to show me which w^ere 
the best hands. I at last agreed to play ten-cent ante. We 
played along, and I was amused to see him stocking the 
cards (or at least trying to do so). He gave me three 
queens, and I lost $10 on them, for he beat them with 
three aces. Presently he beat a full hand and won $25. 
That made him think his man was a trood sucker. I 
always laughed at my losing, and kept telling him that after 
a while I would commence to bet higher. I pulled out a 
big roil o' bills and laid it on the table. Finally I held out 
four fives, and then I went a big blind on his deal, so that 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 37 

if he did not come in I would throw down my hand, and 
perhaps there would be no pair in it. About this time he 
commenced to work with the cards, but I paid very little 
attention to his work. After playing a while I got three 
jacks, and then we commenced to bet high. He raised 
me, and I raised him back, and at last he thought we had 
enough up. Then I got away with the hand he gave me, 
and pulled up the four fives. Then the betting became 
lively. I made him call me ; and when he saw my hand, 
and I had got the money, he grabbed at me and said, "That 
is not the hand you had." "How the d — 1 do you know 
what I had ?" " Well," says he, "where are the other five 
cards?" " I don't know what you are talking about." He 
counted the cards and found the jacks, for I liad palmed 
them on top of the deck. Then he pulled out his knife 
and said, "You are a gambler, and I want my money 
back." "Oh, is that all ? I did not understand. I will 
give it back, as I don't want to keep your money if you 
think I did. not win it fairly." I let on as though I was 
taking out the money, when I pulled out old Betsy Jane. 
He saw her looking him in the face, and he wilted like a 
calf. I made him apologize, and you never saw a man get 
such a turning over as they all gave him. They told him 
he must not pick out such apt scholars, for they learn too 
quickly. What hurt my feelings more than anything else 
was, that he would not speak to me all the way up to 
where I got off. As I was leaving the boat I said to him, 
" Good-b)^e, sir. We are never too old to learn.'' 

HER EYES WERE OPENED. 

High Miller and 1 were playing monte one night on the 
first y. M. White^ and had a good game, and made some 
money. We were about to close up, when a lady and gen- 
tleman passed by and saw High throwing the little tempters. 
They stopped and watched him. I saw they were inter- 
ested, so T stepped up and lost $ioo. Then they came back 



'.> 



8 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



and asked High what kind of a game he was playing. He 
told them it was the pawn-shop game. The lady wanted to 
know why he called it pawn-shop? "Because I have two 
chances to your one," said High. They laughed, and were 
starting away, when they noticed me turn up a corner on 
one of the cards. The lady nudged her husband. I made 
a bet of $500, and won it. The gentleman dropped the 
lady's arm, got out his money, and put up $100. High 
told him that he would not bet less than $500; but the gen- 
tleman did not want but $100 worth. Then his help-mate 
tempted him, saying, " It is good." So the man hearkened 
unto the voice of his wife, put up the $500, turned a card 
and lost. While High was putting away the money, I 
grabbed up the right card and turned up the corner again. 
Then I offered to bet him $1,000 that I could turn the win- 
ner. While this was going on the lady was giving her 
better half a piece of her mind. She was telling him that 
he was a fool ; that he could not see anything, and that she 
could turn the right card every time. She got out her 
purse, took out $80 in gold, and asked him how much 
money he had left. He told her $70. She said, "Give 
it to me, and I will show you that a woman can beat a man 
every time." I was counting out my money to put up, 
when the lady asked me if I would not let her bet first. I 
said, "Certainly;" for I knew a man never lost anything 
by being polite to the ladies, and in this particular case I 
could see we were going to gain $150. High told her he 
never bet with ladies, but if she would hand the money to 
her husband he would bet with him. "Him!" says she, 
" He can't see as well now as when he picked me out for a 
Vt'ife. No, no; he shan't bet any of my money." "All 
right," says High. So she put up the money. High put 
up the same amount, and she watched him as though she 
was afraid he was not going to put up the full $150. After 
mixing them up a little. High said, "Ready!" The 
woman took up the card, turned it over, saw it, and then 
fthrew it down, instead of giving it to her husband that ^": 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 39 

also could see. She then took her husband's arm and said, 
" Come away ; my eyes are open ; if we stay here that man 
will win you next, and I don't want to lose you if you are 
a fool, and can't see as well now as when we were married." 
We had a good laugh, took something, and then High 
said, "George, that woman's a game one; what do you 
say to giving her back the gold?" "All right," says I. 
So he offered me the $80, and wanted me to return it. I 
told him I was not afraid of any man, but, said I, " That 
woman has got her eyes open, and she may think I am 
your partner." " No, George,'' says he, "You closed her 
eyes when you were putting up that $1,000, and gave way 
to accommodate a lady ; she knows you are a gentleman, 
and would not have anything to do with gamblers, except 
to do them the favor of returning money they had won 
from suckers." His fine words lured me into the trap, so I 
took the gold and found the lady. I told her that the gam- 
bler was sorry he liad allowed her to bet, and had requested 
me to return the money. She looked at me a moment, 
with her eyes wide open, and said, " I will greatly multiply 
thy sorrow by refusing to accept the money, and may it be 
a sorrow to you gamblers all the days of your lives." 

THE JACK-FISH. 

My old partner Bush and I would play the trains 
on the Jackson Road out about forty miles above New 
Orleans, and then get off and wait for a down train. Some 
times we would be compelled to get off before we had gone 
that far ; but, as a general thing, it would be about that 
. distance before we would get our work in on suckers. 
We would go up in the morning to a place called Man- 
shak, and fish until the train would come down in the 
evening. One day we were fishing and had got some 
distance apart, when I saw a school of large jack-fish 
coming dovvn like lightning. I jumped up and grabbed a 
pike pole that was lying near, slipped the noose over my 



140 F-ORTV YEARS A GAMBLER 

hand and let fly at them. I struck a big fellow, but he did 
not stop ; he kept right on and pulled me after him. I yelled 
to Bush, and he came running to assist me ; he reached 
me a long pole, and then pulled me out. The rope was still 
on my hand, and the fish was on the pike pole, so we 
pulled him out, and he weighed about sixty pounds. We 
took him down on the evening train, and had a part of him 
broiled for our supper. Bush said it was the largest fish 
he ever caught. I told him I caught it, when he said : 
"Why, Ge»")rge, I caught you both." 

RED AND BLACK. 

I have been in some big games in my day, and have 
always been ready to win a dollar or so whenever I saw a 
chance. Often in the flush times after the war I have 
stood up in the bar-room and tossed up a silver dollar or a 
twenty-dollar gold piece, "heads or tails," for from a 
hundred to five hundred dollars a throw, and have even 
indulged in the innocent amusement of spitting at a mark — 
the money, of course, going to the one that came nearest 
the spot. But of all the games that I ever ran, I think 
the biggest was during the war, just after Captain Leathers 
had purchased the elegant steamer Magenta. The sol- 
diers of the Union Army had burned his fine boat, the 
Natchez. 

The story illustrates the old saying, that one good turn 
deserves another. When we left New Orleans the boat 
was full of passengers, and the trip was worth $3,000 to 
the boat. Reaching Memphis, the Captain soon saw that 
his chances for a big trip were the best that he had ever 
had. The boat was loaded to the guards with cotton, and 
the passenger list was 250, most of them being cotton 
brokers, who, of course, carried a great deal of ready 
money with them. After supper the boat laid up, 
and commenced blowing off" steam. I stepped up to 
the Captain's office and said to Bob Owens, the clerk : 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. I4I 

" Bob, what's up — what's the boat laying here for? " "We 
are in a fix, haven't got money enough in the office to pay 
the charges on the cotton. It's too late to get anything from 
the banks, and we shall have to borrow." 

I took in the situation in a twinkling, and said : " You 
needn't look any further ; perhaps I can let you have all 
you want." Bob's face brightened up as he said : " I can 
get along with $i,ooo." In ten minutes the money was in 
his hands and the boat under way. 

The supper was over and tables cleared, when I opened 
out my game of rouge et noir, and it started in big at 
once. There were twenty-five players, and the smallest 
money on the table was fifty dollars. At the end of every 
deal I opened four bottles of wine, which cost me twenty 
dollars, as the sparkling vintage was then worth five dol- 
lars a bottle. There was one man at the table who got 
pretty full, and finally commenced to put down a thousand 
dollars at a bet. I was somewhat surprised to see him roll 
out three thousand-dollar snapping new bills, and put 
them down. At first I supposed he was a paymaster in the 
army, but soon learned that he was a cotton buyer, opera- 
ting for a rich New York firm. Everything was moving 
on swimmingly, when up came a contractor from Memphis, 
whose name was Harper. He was a knowing sort of a chap ; 
perhaps best described as a "smart aleck." H^e began to 
" nip out." I stood it for some time, but finally let go all 
holds, and started after him, and soon had him broke, 
though in so doing I lost $12,000 that I had won from the 
New York party. Then he began to kick, and said the 
game was not fair ; that he was going to have his money 
back, and threatened to bring up the crew of seventy-five 
men that he had on board, who had been working on the 
levee. I sent a message to the mate telling him what to 
watch out for, so he armed all of the boat's crew, rousta- 
bouts and all, with clubs and stone coal, and stationed 
them at the foot of the stairs ; that brought matters to a 
stand-still. The contractor's men weakened, and the play- 



14.2 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

ers who were the heaviest losers wanted to throw the con- 
tractor overboard, as they said the game was on the 
square and perfectly fair. There was so much noise made, 
however, that the passengers began to come out of their 
state-rooms. The Captain hurried down from the hurricane 
roof, and ominously shook his head ; so I cleared the game? 
and all was quiet once more. I settled my bar bill, which 
was $375 ; and, counting over my money, found I was 
exactly $19,000 winner, and had I not been disturbed 
or molested might have won $150,000, as there was more 
money on board than I ever saw in my life before, and all 
the men were "high rollers." 

That night the contractor and his men got off; the play- 
ers sobered up, and we resumed operations ; but the playing 
was not so large, nor the players so venturesome. Still I 
kept the game open till we reached our destination, and 
came out a few thousands more aiiead. 

HE NEVER KNEW. 

There are alvv^ays men who have some scheme on hand — 
some trick or device that is a sure winner. It may be a 
system, a combination, marked cards, or something of that 
sort. Such a man was John Brogan, of Alexandria. His 
stronghold was marked cards. He had played with them 
for years, and had been remarkably successful, having ac- 
cumulated considerable property. I was once coming down 
the Red River, when I made the acquaintance of a shrewd 
fellow named Neice. He used a sm;iil concave reflector 
about the size of a gold dollar, which he placed in the pile 
of chips before him, and which in dealing the cards enabled 
him to see every card, and where it went. He generally 
played with gamblers, and so adroit was he in his manipu- 
lations that they were unable to catch him. I made up my 
mind that we could both make some money, so I told him 
that I had a man for him who was well heeled. He was 
willing to help me, and we started for Alexandria. I got 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 143 

the Captain to land about three miles above the city, and 
put off my partner, whom I had thoroughly posted. When 
I reached Alexandria I went at once to the Ice House, for 
that was the odd name given to the hotel, where I soon 
found Brogan ; and having had a good shake of the hand 
and a few drinks, we sat down for a social chat about old 
times, beguiling away the time with choice Havanas. 

We had been chatting away for about an hour and a 
half, when a rough-looking fellow walked into the bar-room 
and asked if he could get a dram. " I've come a good dis- 
tance," he said, " and am very tired. The fact is, I have 
been out in the back country looking up a mill site, and 
tramped 'round a good deal more than I calculated." 

"Take something with me, my friend," spoke up 
Brogan. " I don't mind," and we all three took a drink 
together. The stranger called shortly for another round, 
and as he settled, pulled out a roll of bills as big as a pillow, 
that at once caught Brogan's eyes. He gave me a signifi- 
cant hunch. After supper the miller walked into the bar- 
room, purchased a cigar, and walked out. Then Brogan 
said to me, "How is the best way to get some of that 
mone}^?" I told him, "I'll play monte for you; perhaps 
he'll bite at that." John hunted around, and soon brought 
the miller into the bar-room again. I was up to snufl', and 
made my talk and showed my cards, and John won $ioo 
from me. Then the miller said, " I'll take a hand." He 
lost $200. I kept on playing the cards, but the miller 
would bet no more, remarking to me, " I think you are a 
sharper." 

John then asked the miller if he ever played poker. 
"Oh, sometimes; 1 used to play for a quarter ante." 
"Let's have a little game, then, to pass away time." The 
game began, and Brogan trotted out his marked cards. I 
insisted on playing, but the miller said, "No, that I was 
too smart." So, somewhat crestfallen, I walked out and 
took a stroll, and was gone perhaps a couple of hours. 
When I returned they were playing for ten dollars ante, 



144 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

and Brogan was losing very fast. I remained around the 
card table only for a short time and then went away. When 
I came back the miller had won every dollar Brogan had, 
as well as his diamonds, amounting to something like 
$4,500. Brogan came to me and wanted to borrow $500. 
I said, "Certainly, you can have it; but, John, you are 
drinking too much ; take my advice and wait till morning." 
"All right ; then my luck will change." " Of course, and 
that miller will be on hand." 

Late that night a boat came along, and the miller skip- 
ped out. Morning came and I bade John Brogan good- 
bye. Poor fellow ; he never knew why his marked cards 
didn't work, and I never told him. Both John Brogan and 
Neice have been dead many years, and, I trust, are happy 
in the spirit land —perhaps playing chuck-a-luck, marked 
cards, and concave reflectors with St. Peter and the 
Apostles. 

THE BLACK MAN. 

We were playing monte in the barber shop on board a 
steamer on one occasion, when a big black fellow, who had 
been watching the game through the window, asked me 
if I would bet with a black man. I had never gambled 
with the niggers, for in those days they were nearly all 
slaves, and had but little money, and I was looking for 
suckers who could afford to lose. So I inquired of this big 
fellow how much he wanted to bet. He said, " I'll bet five 
or ten dollars." I replied, " If that is all you have, you 
had better keep it ; for I don't want to win a black man's 
money anyway." That got his African blood up, and he 
pulled out a pretty big roll, saying, " I got money, massa, 
if I is a black man." I saw he was well fixed, and so I 
asked him how he made his money. He replied, " I's a 
planter, sir, and I just done and sold my cotton." I took out 
ten twenty-dollar gold pieces, and said, " I will bet you all 
this against what you have in your hand.' " Oh, no, 
honey," says he, " I got more'n dat." " Then I'll bet you 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. I45 

this," I said, pulling out a thousand-dollar note. He put 
his money down and turned the card, and it was fun to see 
him open that big mouth, roll the whites of his eyes up, 
and then throw up both hands, ejaculating : " Laws golly ! 
if dis old nigger hasn't done gone and lost his eyesight, 
sho 'nuf." 

THE PERSUADER. 

Bluff is a good game, and sometimes it will turn a trick 
when everythmg else fails. I boarded Morgan's Railroad, 
as it was called, upon one occasion at Algiers. Trains on 
that road were generally full of suckers, as the road con- 
nected with the Galveston steamers at Burwick's Bay. 
Tom Brown and Holly Chappell, my partners, were both 
along ; and as game was plenty along the road, we carried 
our shotguns along, and in the event of no bigger game 
were accustomed to get off and shoot snipe, catching the 
return train to the city in the evenmg. Sure enough, there 
was a party of traders aboard, and Brown lost no time in 
making their acquaintance and opening out. One of them 
commenced to cut his clothes the minute he got a glimpse 
of the corner after ChappeJl made one cap. To make 
matters more binding, I came up and lost $1,200. Then 
the ball opened, and it was not more than half an hour be- 
fore we had downed the party. Then the devil was to 
pay. One of the party said: "Look here; I must have 
my money back, or h — 1 will flop around here mighty 
quick." Then they all joined in and made a big kick ; 
and as I saw fun brewing, I slipped into the baggage-car, 
changed hats and coats with the baggage-master, got his 
badge and my double-barrelled shotgun. Then I rushed 
into the car and drew the bead on the party who had col- 
lected around the boys, giving a war-whoop and demand- 
ing in stentorian tones, " Who has been playing cards in 

^ ■* • till 

tnis car r 

'* I have," said Brown. 



146 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

"Get off this train mighty quick;" and I pulled the 
rope. My partners lost no time in getting off. Pulling the 
rope again, the train started; and when the conductor 
came back, I explained that somebody would have been 
hurt, had I not acted as I did. This was satisfactory, and 
going back he told the party that gambling on the road 
was against the rules, and that he could have them all ar- 
rested when the bay was reached, if he wished. This had 
the effect of quieting them down, especially as they knevv? 
that the man who had won their money was off the train. 
I was not long in reaching the baggage-car and returning 
the borrowed articles, and quietl}^ slipping off at the first 
station, not forgetting my shotgun. Hunting was good 
that day, and I bagged ten snipe and thirteen robbins, 
which the boys helped me eat at our old friend Cassidy's 
restaurant, on Gravier Street, opposite the St. Charles Ho- 
tel. The boys all agreed that my conduct was all that 
saved the boodle, which consisted of $3,300 and two gold 
watches. Thus it is that a little management, backed by a 
double-barrelled shotgun and an official badge, is often- 
times a powerful persuader. 

I HAD FRIENDS. 

» 

I was coming down from Baton Rouge one night in a 
stern-wheel boat. The night before I had gone up and had 
been pretty lucky, so I resolved to try and reach New Or- 
leans in time for the next evening's packet. McGawley, 
my partner at the time, was along ; and as we took a sur- 
vey of the passengers, we noticed that most of them were 
raftsmen who had just been paid off. They were a pretty 
tough lot, but appeared to be well heeled, so I was not 
long in making up my mind to see the color of their money. 
I managed to scrape an acquaintance with a couple of 
them, and invited them to drink ; then I proposed a game 
of euchre, to which both agreed. We made it four-handed, 
and played for the drinks, then the cigars, until finally I 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 47 

resolved to feel one of them ; so I ran him up a hand. 
He sat on my left, and ordered me up. I gave him the 
laugh and said, " 111 euchre you." 

" I'll just bet you $20 you don't," he quickly replied. 

"Here's $100 I do." 

Borrowing $30 of his partner, he said, " I'll take that 
bet." 

Of course I euchred him, as I said I would; but the 
game broke up, and as I was winner I paid the bar bill. 
It was not long before I noticed some of them talking sus- 
piciously together among themselves, and I deemed it the 
part of prudence to slip into my state-room and get my 
gun, for then I was not particularly disturbed as to what 
they proposed to do. They began to patronize the bar 
pretty extensively, and asked the barkeeper who I was. 
He replied that he did not know. They said that one of 
the negroes had said that I was a gambler, and they were 
going to lick me before I got off the boat. The barkeeper 
soon found an opportunity to tell me what was up ; and as 
I did not have much confidence in my partner as a fighter, 
I concluded I was in for it. I knew, however, that he was 
no coward, and if he was attacked would fight. The bar- 
keeper handed me a " bill}^" and I strolled back to the 
barber shop, where several of them were gathered together. 
Returning through the cabin to the bar, I was accosted by 
one of them, but paid no attention. Tv^'o of them at last 
approached me as I stood with my back to the bar, when 
one of them remarked, " I don't think you won that money 
fair." 

" I don't care a d — n whether I did or not," I quickly 
retorted. So he cut loose at me, and I caught his blow on 
my arm, let go my left duke and downed him at once. 
That was the signal for the circua to open. They all rushed 
in, and I began to lay them out as fast as I could with the 
billy. Every whack brought blood and a heavy fall. 
McGawley and the barkeeper took a hand, the former hurl- 
ing a spittoon that cracked a fellow's head open and sent 



iaS forty years a gambler 

the blood spurting, while the latter brought a bottle on a 
raftsman's skull that raised a welt as big as a cocoanut. 
Then the Captain rushed in, and the mate followed with a 
gang of roustabouts, who soon had quiet restored. I was 
hit pretty hard with a chair, otherwise my injuries were 
not serious. I did not use my revolver, as none were 
drawn, for I never wanted to kill any man. 

THE LAP-ROBE. 

My dear old mother — she lived to be ninety-three years 
old — God bless her. I can see her now, with her silvered 
hair and tottering step. Sj;ie used to pray for her wild son 
George, and on one occasion (I guess it was the result of 
her prayers) I did a good act that I have always been 
proud of, and I received the prayers of all the ladies of 
the church for it. I was in the South at the time, and on 
board a packet that was laid up at Natchez for a few hours. 
Some of the ladies of a prominent church there sent down 
a magnificently embroidered lap-robe, wishing to raise 
$ioo on it. I took ten chances at $5 a chance, and then 
circulated among the passengers and easily raised a good 
sum. We shook the box, and one of my throws won. Of 
course I had to set up the wine ; but I put up the robe 
again, and got one of the blackest men on the boat to 
throw for me, and a second time I won. A third time the 
robe went up, and this time for good ; but not until $400 
was realized, which was sent to the delighted ladies. I 
think that money spent did me more good than any that I 
ever squandered, for I was the recipient of the thanks as 
well as the prayers of the ladies. 

THE PREACHER AWAY FROM HOME. 

Ever since the days when Joseph's brothers gambled 
for his coatof many colors when they put him in the pit, 
the desire to venture in games of chance has been rampant 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 49 

in the human breast, and even '• men of the cloth" have 
proved no exception to the rule. I recall an instance when 
I was going down the river on the JVatchez. As I got aboard 
the boat I said to myself, *' Everything looks blue ; I've got 
no partner, and I don't think there is a dollar in sight.'" 
I scanned over the faces of the passengers, and soon found 
one of the old boys who formerly used to play a little, but 
who had now foresworn cards and become a prominent 
railroad magnate in New Orleans. Bob and myself were 
soon talking over old times and sipping julips, until at last 
we got a stack of chips and a deck of cards, and began to 
play for a small limit. 

Presently a tall, portly, fine looking gentleman came up 
to the table, and appeared to be so interested that I invited 
him to take a hand, as we were playing for a small limit 
just to pass away time. He readily consented, and the 
game went on smoothly enough, when I ran him out three 
queens and helped myself to three kings, and gave Bob 
the office to remain in, as I wanted him to cross-lift, which 
he did. The game was a two-dollar limit, and at last we 
got him in for about fifty dollars before the draw. x\fter the 
draw things livened up ; he bet two dollars. Bob went two 
better, and I chipped in two better than both of them. We 
got him in for about $ioo, when he borrowed $20, and 
we still kept on raising him until we were confident he 
could raise no more money. Hands were shown, and the 
portl}^ man wilted like a leaf before a November blast, but 
never even murmured a kick, and I soon knew the reason 
why, for Captain Leathers came up to me and whispered : 
" Why, George, do you know who that was you were play- 
ing with?" "I do not." '' He's a preacher; I have heard 
him in the pulpit many a time, and I know that he stands 
very high all along the coast. I don't know what to make 
of his gambling here to-night." I never mentioned his 
name, and I knew that the Captain would not ; and as for 
Bob, he'd never say a word, for he was afraid I'd give the 
snap away ; and as for me, I had my reasons for keeping 



] ro FORTY YEARS A GAMBLKR 

quiet, since Bob was always generous with his passes, and 
John Kilkenny would have the laugh on him ; for all are 
now strict church goers. 

A SHREWD TRICK. 

Some men are born rascals, some men have rascality 
thrust upon them, others achieve it. This is a story of a 
chap that I think must have had a birthmark of knavery 
somewhere concealed about his body. It was during the 
war, and I was going up on the steamer Fashion^ Captain 
Pratt. I was dealing red and black, and had a big game, 
as there were a number of cotton buyers on board. One of 
them was a fine appearing gentleman from New York, 
who was soon ,^3 ,800 loser ; then he began to play reck- 
less, and was still followed by his bad luck. I noticed 
his nervousness, and came to the conclusion that he was 
not playing with his own money. 

Finally looking up, he said, " How much will you 
turn for ? " 

Noticing his excited condition, I said, "Put down as 
much as you think proper, and if you go too high I'll tell 
you." With that he pulled out a long pocket-book, and 
drawing forth a roll of hundred-dollar bills threw them on 
the red. I picked up the money and counted it, and found 
there were thirty-three one- hundred-dollar bills. 

" That's beyond my limit," I said ; " but as I know you 
are a great deal heavier loser than that. Til give you a 
chance to get even, so crack her down." 

I made a turn, he lost. With a trembling hand and wile 
eye he counted out the balance of his money and laid it 
before me, saying: "This is my last bet; if I lose, ther; 
is $4,000, and there is $200 more. Will you turn for it?' 

"Lay her up," was all I said." 

Down it went, just as any high-roller would do if he had 
some one else's money ; he lost, and fell back in his chair 
in a dead faint ; ice water was brought and he was revived. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. I5I 

After the game he came to me and said, '* Not a dollar of 
that money was my own ; it belonged to a wealthy New 
York firm, one of the members of which I was to meet 
in New Orleans, and render an account." I tolcf him that 
he would have to say that the money was invested in cot- 
ton that would be shipped in a few days. " That will give 
you time to skip," I said, " for the affair is bound to come 
out, and then you will be in trouble." 

" No," he said, " I won't run away. I have thought of a 
plan that will let me out of the scrape. There is another 
man on the boat who is buying for the same firm. I will 
go to him and get a bundle of money which I will hand to 
you privately, and then you come before the passengers 
and hand it to me. You can say, ' I don't want your 
money, so here it is, take it.' I will thank you kindly, and 
there will be plenty of witnesses to say that I did not lose 
the money gambling." I did exactly as the fellow wanted, 
much to the astonishment of the passengers, who said that 
I must either be the biggest-hearted man in the country, 
or the biggest fool that ever ran unhung, to give a man 
back that much money after fairly winning it. 

When New Orleans was reached I was arrested, but 
easily proved that I had returned the money, or rather 
refused to take it, and was discharged ; but the good old 
greenbacks were safe in my inside pocket, all the same. 

MULES FOR LUCK. 

In the flush days of gambling on the Mississippi I used 
to take everything. If a man did not have the money, I 
would not refuse diamonds or a stock of goods. On one 
occasion, when I was going from Memphis to Cairo on the 
Belle of Memphis, a little game was started, and I won ten 
first-class mules. A bill of sale was drawn up, but when I 
went to land the mules at Cairo, the former owner began to 
kick, so I had them transferred to another boat that was 
lying alongside of us, and bound for St, Louis. The man 



1^2 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

hated to part with his mules, and went down pawing and 
clamoring among them until one of them gave him a severe 
kick which nearly proved fatal. At last they doctored him 
up so he could talk. We were then en route for St. Louis, 
but I was too smart to take them there, so I disembarked 
at Cape Girardeau, and sold the mules at a reduced price ; 
for what did a gambler want with a pack of hungry mules 
trailing around after him anyhow? 

THE CATTLE BUYER. 

We had been playing monte one night on the steamer 
Southern Belle ^ out from New Orleans, and had closed up. 
My partner was sitting out on the guards, and I was in the 
hall near the bar, when I saw a gentleman coming down 
the cabin toward me. I stepped up and ordered a drink, 
and as the man came up I invited him to join me.- He 
accepted, and we entered into conversation. I proposed a 
game of euchre to pass the time ; he assented, and we sat 
down. He proposed to play for ten dollars a game, as it 
would be more interesting, I said, "All right." I found 
him one of the best players I had ever met. He beat me 
two straight games, and I saw I could not beat him on the 
square, so I began to complain of my bad luck, and said 
the deck was unlucky to me. He proposed that we get 
another, so I told the barkeeper to bring us a new deck of 
cards, which hg did, and when he put them on the table I 
saw they were m}-^ old friends. We played two more games, 
and I won both of them. At this time my partner came up 
to the table and remarked : " You gentlemen seem to be 
enjoying yourselves." " I replied, " We have played four 
games, and it's a stand-ofT." He then said, " If you were 
playing poker, I would like to take a hand." The gentle- 
man said, "That will suit me, if you are satisfied." I 
said, " All right,'' and I invited my partner to sit in, which 
he did. We bought fifty checks each at a dollar apiece, 
and commenced playing. There were a great many of the 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. I53 

passengers around the table, so we played on the square 
until everybody went to bed and left us alone ; then I ran 
him up three large jacks, and gave my partner three queens, 
and guarded both hands so that nothing could drop in. Our 
friend was on my left, and had up a big blind ; my partner 
just saw his blind. I exposed my hand and said, "That 
is too good a pot to lose, so I will raise you gentlemen 
$150." Our friend put up, and my partner said, " I be- 
lieve you are both bluffing ; I see that and raise you $ioo." 
I did not want to drive our friend out, so I raised $ioo. 
He put up, and we came to a draw. They both took two 
cards, and I stood pat with a nine-spot high. It was my 
partner's first bet ; he hesitated, and finally bet but fifty 
dollars. I gave them one of those old " go-y our- money" 
laughs, and said, " Boys, I have you both," and I put up 
$500. Our friend saw it and raised back $500. My part- 
ner looked at his hand, and after a while said, '* I will 
call." I then bet $1,000 cold. They both called, and we 
showed down. The three queens just beat the three jacks, 
and I said, " I was trying to win that pot on a bluff." Our 
friend remarked it was not safe to bluff when such hands 
were out against you. I said, "That is so, but I thought 
you were both bluffing." We had something to drink, and 
started in again. I ran up two hands, giving our friend 
three aces, and taking four tens myself. I did not give my 
partner anything, as I wanted him to do the tipping. The 
betting began, and it was pretty lively. When we came to 
the draw, our friend took two cards and I took one, remark- 
ing at the same time, " If I fill this flush, good evening to 
you fellows." The betting was lively, and finally came to 
a call. We showed down, and I took in $4,700. Our 
friend was no kicker, but was as game a man as I ever 
met. He got up, laughed, and said, "Gentlemen, let's 
take a drink, and I will go to bed." He bade us good- 
night and went to his room. I learned during our play that 
he was a large cattle buyer from Texas. We got a nice 
slice of his cattle money ; but I must say that he could hold 



154 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

his own with any one in a square game of poker ; but with 
two old sharks, and a deck of marked cards, there is no 
man that can win much money, as his bluffs don't go. 

EVEN THE JUDGES DO IT. 

- The love of gambling is confined to no class of people. 
Preachers and lawyers, doctors and men of business, are 
as susceptible to the smiles of the fickle goddess of fortune 
as well as the roughest men. 

George Hardy and m3^self were once going from Jack- 
son, Mississippi, to Vicksburg, and, for want of something 
better to do, fell to talking over old times and tricks with 
cards. Near by sat a gentleman who appeared interested 
in our conversation, and I asked George who it was, as I 
had often seen him at Vicksburg. "Why, that's Judge 
so-and-so," and he introduced me. Pretty soon George 
remarked, " Devol, you ought to show the Judge the 
baby ticket,' and as I had just played the trick for a joke, 
I said, " Yes, Judge, I have one of the best games for the 
drinks in the world ; they play it out West altogether now 
instead of dice." Of course, he was anxious to see how it 
was done. Taking out some cards, the Judge was greatly 
amused, and at last George offered to bet me $50 that he 
could turn the card I took him up, and he lost. Then the 
Judge, not at all discouraged by George's ill luck, said he 
could turn it up for $50 ; but I told him I did not want to bet 
with him, since he never had seen the game before. At last 
I consented to go him once. He turned the card and lost, 
and then I thought that George would die with laughter. 
This only riled the Judge, who was now bent on getting 
even ; so he put up his gold watch and chain, and lost 
them. He was satisfied then, and the next day sent around 
a friend and redeemed them. 

George remarked, "The Judge stands very high in this 
vicinity, so never say anything about this transaction ;" and 
as ^ never did, I do not suppose George did. George had 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. I55 

no idea that the Judge would bet. Both the parties are 
still living, and will, when they see this in cold type, 
heartily enjoy the story. 

NO PLAY ON THIS BOAT. 

Captain Dan Musselman, who was running the Belle 
of Mem-phis from Memphis to Cairo, said to me one day 
as I got aboard his craft at Memphis, "George, I don't 
want you to play that monte on this boat." "All right," 
I replied, as smiling as a maid of sixteen. As we were 
near Hickman, Ky., I downed a fellow in the barber shop 
for the trifling sum of $900. Up stairs the fellow rushed in 
• hot haste to the Captain to try and get his money back. I 
remained talking with Captain Bill Thorwegon, of St. 
Louis. In came the Captain and said, " George, did you 
win this man's money?" 

" Yes, sir, I did ; " as frankly as a school boy saying his 
catechism. 

"Did I not tell you not to play that game on this boat.'"' 
" Yes, sir ; but, Captain, the man dared me to bet, and I 
wouldn't take a dare from any man." 

" Well, you'll have to go ashore at Hickman." 
The boat was then, about three miles below, and I had a 
faint recollection that there was a man living at Hickman 
that I had beat only a short time before, so I said to the 
Captain, " You can't land her too quick to suit me. Put 
her into the bank as soon as you can." Captain Thor- 
wegon tried to dissuade me, but I was obstinate, and insisted 
on being landed at once. Dunlap, my partner, was ripping 
mad at my obstinancy, as it was dark, raining, and in 
the woods. Out went the gang plank, however, and we 
on it, armed with some matches, cigars, and a bottle of 
whisky. A big tree was soon found, a fire started, and after 
patronizing the whisky bottle, and samphng the cigars, we 
turned in for the night. Towards mornifig I was awakened 
by a noise, and found that Dunlap, my partner, was on fire. 



1^6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBI.ER 

I woke him up and rushed him down into the river, only a 
distance of about fifty feet, and he came out looking like the 
worst tramp that ever was on the road. His coat was 
burned off, and also one leg of his pantaloons, so he walked 
to Hickman and purchased new clothes, and, boarding the 
first boat down, induced the Captain to stop for me ; and we 
returned to Memphis $900 ahead, but sadder and wiser men. 

THE GREEN COW-BOY. 

I always had a great love for horse-flesh, and it is many 
a dollai I have won and lost on the turf. In flush times, 
just after the war, I was taking a lot of race-horses over to 
Mobile, and had got them all nicely quartered on the boat 
and was taking a smoke on the boiler-deck, when a stran- 
ger approached me. "Are you the gentleman who brought 
those horses over from New Orleans ?" 

"Yes, sir." 

" There is one that I would like to buy." 

" And that one ?" 

" The pacing horse." 

" Can't sell him ; need him in the races that I'm giving 
every week." 

At supper we sat together, and after supper we chatted 
for a long time. My partner sat near by, and knew what 
I was nursing him for. He let me know that he was from 
Texas, and towards 10 o'clock I asked him if he played 
euchre. He loved the game very much, and played a 
great deal. " Suppose we amuse ourselves, if we can 
find a deck of cards," I suggested ; and we sat down, 
playing single-handed until most of the passengers had 
retired. When I took out my watch at i o'clock, a rough 
looking fellow, unshaven and long-haired, with a huge 
Buffalo Bill hat on his head, came up to the table and said 
he was from Texas, and had never been in this part of the 
country before. 

" What part of Texas are you from?" asked my fnend, 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 157 

who appeared to be taken with the green country manners 
of the Texan. 

'• Wall, I live on a ranch twenty-five odd miles from El 
Paso." 

" What brought you so far away from home?" 
" Me and my pap came over with cattle, sir, and they's 
all over in pens in New Orleans. I reckoned as how we'd 
lose 'em all coming across the sea, and pap was skeered, 
so he never went to bed till we got them thar steers in the 
pens. I didn't want to go with pap when he started with 
them thar steers ; but pap is the oldest, and I had to mind 
him." 

" But what did you come to Mobile for?" 
" Well, I'll tell you. I got talkmg to a fellar, and he 
told me that if I would go over with him on the ship that 
he would buy all my critters ; so I asked pap if I might go, 
and he said yes ; but I'm kinder sorry I went now, for I 
got lost from that fellar and never laid eyes on him after 
we got over thar. He told me to pay his fare, and when 
he got over thar he would give me back the money ; but I 
reckon he went after the money and got lost. But I haint 
going to say a word to pap, for I got to pranking with a 
fellow on the ship, and I'll be gol darned if I didn't lose 
$i,ooo; but pap wont find it out, for I had $10,000 what I 
been saving to buy me a ranch, and I shan't tell pap any- 
thing about it." 

*' How did you come to lose your money, stranger?" I 
asked. 

" Wall, look here ; I never seen such a thing. He had 
some tickets, and he would mix 'em up — sorter jumble 'em 
together — and then he would bet you that you couldn't lift 
the one that had the little baby on it. So I just watched it, 
and I just cut my coat to get the money, for mam she 
sewed it up before I started. Well, I just laid down my 
greenbacks, and T didn't lift the boy, and he kept my 
.greenbacks ; then he went off and left his tickets lying on 



jeS FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

the bench, so I'm going to take them home with me, but I 
wont tell I lost anything.'' 

" Let me see them," I said. 

"Will you give 'em back?" 

" Oh, certainly." So he pulled them out, and my friend 
and myself had never seen anything like them before ; so 
I said, " Show us how he did the trick." He showed us 
the best he could ; then I caught up the one with the boy 
on it, and turned the corner and showed it to my friend, 
and gave him a quiet hunch under the table as I laid it 
down, and asked if he would bet on it. 

He said, " When I get back home I'm going to larn it, 
so I can win all the money I want." 

"Will you bet a drink that I can't guess it the first 
time?" I said. 

He mixed them up and observed, "I'll go you a dram." 

I bet, and my friend was pleased to see what a fool I 
was ; and I told my friend to bet him another dram that he 
could pick it up. But I said, " Don't touch the one that 
has the corner turned up ;" and he did as I said. That 
made the cow boy laugh, who broke out in his peculiar 
vernacular: " Oh, you old fools with store clothes on can't 
tell it no how." Then I observed to my friend, "lam 
going to have some of that money ; for that fool will never 
get back, for some one will win it sure." I began jesting 
and playing the fellow, till at last I dared him to bet me 
$ioo on it, and he said, " I won't take a dare," and pulled 
out about $4,000 in greenbacks, all in hundred-dollar bills. 
I laid my $100 on the table, all in small bills ; so when he 
commenced to put up his, I counted him out of $100, and 
that made it two to one ; but I turned the card, and he told 
my friend to just hand me the money. 

" What is the least you will bet?" said my friend to the 
cow-boy. 

"Wall-, boys, you have got me at it, and I had just as 
leve bet it all ; but I know you fellars with the store clothes 



0.\ THE MISSISSIPPI. 159 

on haint got that much ; and I knows you darnt bet a dol- 
lar — if you did, the old woman would broomstick yer." 

My friend could not stand this sort of racket any longer, 
for I kept telling him to just lay up his money, and take it 
and put it in his pocket. 

At this stage of the game a tall, fine looking fellow with 
long black whiskers came up and said, "I'll bet $1,000 
that I can turn the card." 

The cow-boy observed, " If I can win that bet, I'll be 
even on what I lost going over," so he put the money up 
and said, "Come on; I'll go yer;'" and the black-whis- 
kered man put up his money and turned the wTong card. 
The cow-boy was delighted. My friend trembled, for he 
saw that the new comer did not take the one with the cor- 
ner turned up. Of course he began to get his money out ; 
and he had lots of the long green stuff, for he was a large 
cotton buyer from Galveston. He oifered to bet $1,000, 
but the cow-boy said, " I wont bet less than $5,000." I 
offered to take half, but the cow-boy would only bet with 
one person at a time ; so I told him to lay it up. He did 
so and turned the card, but missed the winner. I grabbed 
up the boy ticket and turned the corner so quickly that he 
supposed he had made a mistake. The black-whiskered 
man at once pulled out his money and bet him $1,000 
again, and this time he won. 

My friend wanted to try it again, for I made him be- 
lieve thai he made the mistake himself. He said, "Shuffle 
them up, and I will make you one more bet." He counted 
out another $5,000 ; and says I, " That will only make you 
even if you win." So he took out $3,300 more, which was 
all he had, except perhaps $100 in small bills. 

The cards were shuffled. The cow-boy counted out 
his money. The black-whiskered man wanted to chip in 
enough to make it even $10,000, but the cow-boy wouldn't 
have it. My friend made a snatch at what he supposed 
was the bov card, and — lost. 

I felt very sorr\- for him. 



l6o FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

The fellow with the black whiskers was Holly Chappeii, 
the cow-boy was Tom Brown. Botli were my partners. 
The cow-boy invited us all to the bar. My friend and I 
retired to our state-rooms for the night. 

NO MONEY IN LAW. 

A man by the name of Levy (of course he was- a Jew) 
and myself were once traveling on the Jackson Railroad, 
amusing ourselves playing in the smoking car, when along 
came a horseman from New Orleans, and dropped in, 
thinking he could pick up the right card. I was doing the 
playing, and I asked the horseman if he thought he could 
pick out the card with the baby on. He said that was just 
what he could do for $300. 

"Put her up," I said, and in a twinkling I covered his 
$300. He turned the card, and lost. Then he studied for 
a moment and remarked: "I am going to try that once 
more." So he planked down his watch, which was a fine 
Howard movement, worth about $200. He lost, got mad, 
and kicked by telegraphing ahead to arrest a couple of 
gamblers on the train who had been robbing a man. We 
were then a few miles below the Sixty-two Mile Siding, 
and I knew there were no officers there ; so we got off at 
the Siding, and on the down train we spied an officer who 
was coming from Winona after us. Then we took to the 
hills, and kept a sharp lookout, where we co'Ad see and not 
be seen. The officer asked where we had gone, and the 
railroad people told them down the road„ They returned 
to Winona, and he offered a reward of fifty dollars for the 
watch, and $100 for the return of the watcb and money. 

Bad news travels fast, and I soon hertrd of this, and 
I decided not to go so high up on the road. At last, how- 
ever, I went to the town, though before I reached the 
depot I handed my money to a gentleman who resided 
there, who was a good friend of mine ; and sure enough, 
as I expected, the constable served his warrant ou me im- 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI. l6l 

mediately. My friend at once stepped up and said that we 
would not go to jail, and forthwith furnished bail. We 
gave the officer the laugh, who only got mad and tele- 
graphed to New Orleans that he had the party who had 
won the watch and money belonging to the horseman. On 
the first train, up he came. When the case was called for 
trial, I asked the Judge for a continuance on account of the 
absence of a material witness. He granted me one of three 
days. The horseman then offered to compromise if we 
would return the watch and money. Failing in this he fell 
to abusing the Judge for granting us a continuance. This 
reached the ears of the Judge, who was anything but 
pleased, and when I had an opportunity I told the Judge 
that if he wanted I would stand trial for gambling, and be 
fined ; although I was aware that he had no jurisdiction in 
gambling cases, but I presumed that he and the constable 
wanted to make a piece for themselves. 

The trial came off, and the Judge fined us thirty dollars 
apiece for gambling. My friend paid the fines, and then I 
turned to the Judge and demanded a warrant for the horse- 
man, for gambling in the State. He too was fined thirty 
dollars ; and when he returned to New Orleans, and told 
his story, the boys all gave him the laugh, and told him he 
had better have staid at home, for we all told you that you 
could never get a cent back from Devol. 

When I reached New Orleans I hunted the horseman 
up, and he redeemed his watch, giving me $200. This 
transaction made a man of him, for afterwards I met him 
and he wanted to help me skin suckers, and did make 
money. Many business men whom I have at first won 
money from came to me afterwards and stood in with the 
game, so that I was given an opportunity to get into games 
that I never could have done without their influence. 



XI 



l62 FORTY VKARS A GAMBLEK. 



THE POLICE SIGNAL. 



They have a signal service on board the vessels running 
from New Orleans to other points on the gulf, by which 
they can notify those on shore what is wanted some time 
before the vessel reaches the landing. If they run up the 
police flag, there will be twenty or more police at the wharf 
when the vessel arrives. We would play one vessel out to 
some point of landing, and then wait for another to bring 
us back. We had played a boat over to Mobile atone time, 
and was on our way back, when we got a fellow down in a 
game of euchre. Several times during the progress of the 
game, remarks had been made about good poker hands, so 
I ran the gentleman up the old hand of four queens and an 
ace. He picked it up and said, " I have a poker hand." 
I turned my head to spit, and in doing so I purposely ex- 
posed (or tipped) my hand so he caught a glimpse of it. I 
then said, " How much will you bet? " He replied, " Fifty 
dollars." I then raised him $ioo. My partner said, " Gen- 
tlemen, as this is a game of l)lufF, I will raise you $i,ooo. 
I threw down my hand, remarking, " I started in to bluff 
you out ; but you fellows are too much for me." The gen- 
tleman then said, " You can't bluff me ; I will call the bet." 
They showed down, but the fellow's four queens and an ace 
were not enough, for my partner had four large live kings, 
and he took down the money. 

The fellow got up and raised a h — 1 of a kick, and 
finally, when he saw he could get nothing back, he went to 
the Captain and told him we had stolen his money. The 
Captain was a stranger to me, so I could do nothing with 
him. He ordered the police flag to be run up, and then I 
knew we would be arrested when we reached New Orleans. 
I did not fear the result if we could get rid of our money, 
but I did not want the fellow to get a chance at that. I 
commenced looking around, and soon found a friend I 
could trust, so I gave him all the money my partner and I 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 163 

had, and then I did not care how quick they nabbed us. 
When we started off the boat, we were met by about twenty 
police. The kicker was there, and when he saw us he 
pointed me out and said, "There is one of them." The 
officers laughed when they saw us, for they knew me. We 
got into a cab and went up to the court, which was then in 
session. They searched us, but only found a few dollars. 
I employed a lawyer, and in about ten minutes we were free ; 
but if we had not got away with the stuff we would have 
had more trouble, as he was ready to replevy. After be- 
ing released we started out to find our friend, and when we 
got our money we had more wine than was good for our 
heads. I have often seen the police flag run up, but always 
managed someway to keep from giving up the boodle. If 
I could find no friend to trust it with before we landed, I 
would find one in the officers or the cab boys, and not one 
of them ever went back on me. 

A PAYMASTER'S BLUFF. 

The yellow fever was raging in the South in 1867, and 
nearly every one was trying to reach the seaboard, as it is 
considered that the disease is not so violent there. On the 
.steamer to Mobile one night a big game was in progress. 
Ten dollars was the ante; no limit. I was $1,300 loser, 
and soon resolved that I must stir myself and do something. 
There was no time to lose, so hurrying to the bar, upon 
some excuse, I got a deck such as they were using, and 
ran up four hands, being careful that I got the best of it. 
Returning, I played fully half an hour before I came out 
with my deck. At last it came my deal, and I gave them 
threes and let them fill. It would have brought a smile to 
a dead man to have seen them bet, for they put up all the 
money they had, and one of them went to the office, and 
bringing out a valise, said, as he laid it on the table, *' There 
is $18,000 in that valise, and I raise all of you that much." 
What to do I did not know. I was in a quandary, when, 



164 FORTY YEARS A GAMBl^KR 

quick as thought, a plan flashed upon me. I jumped up, 
and rushing to the office, got all the small bills they had — 
mostly ones and twos — and securing a piece of brown 
paper, wrapped these bills around it, which made an enor- 
mous roll. There was a five hundred-dollar bill on the 
outside, and, putting a strip of paper around it, 1 marked 
it $20,000. Then rushing up, I said, " Boys, I have at 
last raised the money ; " and as I was about to put it on the 
table to call the bet, the owner of the valise snatched it oft", 
saying, " That was only for a bluff." So I deemed it best 
to show down for what money we had up, as I knew all the 
rest were up all they had, and I have always made it a rule 
never to bet a man more than he had, to run him out, but 
always to give every man a chance for his money. 

Turning to the fellow with the valise, I said, " I will bet 
you $1,000 on a side bet that my hand beats yours." He 
counted out the money and put it up, and there was nothing 
to do but show hands ; but in the draw I took in another nine, 
which made four, and a five spot. That broke up the 
game, as that was all the mone}^, except what the man with 
the valise and I had, and he got cold, for the money he was 
playing with belonged to the Government. He was a pay, 
master, and had I won his money I should undoubtedly 
iiave got into trouble again. Paymasters in the army wert?, 
among the best suckers we ever had, and I fear we never- 
shall have such fat pluckmg again. 

" PRANKIN' " WITH A NEW GAME. 

I had a partner at one time by the name of Tripp, and 
he was one of the smartest gamblers I ever worked with. 
He would play any and all games of chance, and would 
play them as high as any man in the country, and come as 
near winning all the time as most of them. He was a 
good, clever fellow. 

He and. I were on the Michigan Southern Railroad at 
one time. Tripp was to do tlie playing with the three 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 165 

cards, and I was to be on the look-out. I began my part 
of the business ; and in looking around, I saw an old gen- 
tleman that I thought might be well fixed in money mat- 
ters ; and if he was, I judged he would be a good subject ; 
so I sat down and opened up conversation. I told him I 
was a miner from Colorado ; that I had some of the richest 
mines in the country, and that I was on my way to Wash- 
ington to take out a patent on a crushing machine that I 
had invented. He became very much interested, and I 
learned that he was from the Stale of Michigan, and was 
very well fixed in this world's goods. I gave him some 
big talk about the mining business, telling him I often took 
out $1,000 a day — and much more of the same sort. He 
did not let me do all the blowing, but gave me to under- 
stand that, while he was not taking out of mother earth 
$1,000 per day, he was — and had been for many years — 
getting out of the ground quite a number of thousands. 

While we were telling each other how much money we 
had accumulated for a rainy day, a cow-boy came up and 
took the seat just in front of us, and in a few moments he 
turned around and said, " Be you gentlemen going to New 
York?" 

The old gentleman said, "I am, but this gentleman is 
going to Washington City." 

"I be going to New York with my steers, for them 
fellars in Chicago wont pay my price, and some of them 
beat me out of $2,000 in less than no time," said the cow- 
boy. 

I then told him to turn his seat over and tell us how 
they got his money. 

He got up, turned his seat, and said, "They had some 

kind of a game that they bet on ; I got to pranking with it,. 

and I just lost $2,000 afore you could say Jack Robinson." 

" It must have been seven-up, or some game of cards," 

said I. 

"It wasn't no seven-up, for I reckon as how I can play 
seven-up with any of the boys." 



l66 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLKR 

"Well, tell us about the game," said the old gentle- 
man. 

The cow-boy then took out an old dirty rag, which 1 
suppose he called a handkerchief, unfolded it, and produced 
three cards, saying, " Them thar fellows gave me these ar 
cards, and I'm going to larn that ar game, so as when I 
get back to Texas I can beat all the boys." 

I told him to show us how they could bet on three cards. 
Then he bent them up and began throwing them on the 
seat beside him, saying at the same time, "I'm not so 
good at it as those Chicago chaps, but I'm going to prac- 
tice, and when I get down in Texas I'll get even on our 
boys." 

I asked him if they got all his money. 

"Oh, no, I just got loads of money ; and then when I 
flell them thar steers in New York, I reckon I will have 
some more. Now you see this card has got an old man on 
it, and you have to guees this 'er' one or you lose." 

We guessed a few times, and then I bent up the corner 
of the old man card, saying to the Michigan gentleman, 
"Now we will have some fun." Then I said to the cow- 
boy, " Will you bet money on the game yourself ?" 

" I can't play it good enough yet to bet ; but as I have 
two cards to your one, I would just as soon bet on it as on 
a pony race, and I often put up big money on a pony." 

I told the Michigander not to turn up the card with the 
corner turned so long as we were guessing for fun, so he 
turned up one of the other cards, and the cow-boy said, 
" You see you are just as big fools as I was in Chicago.'' 

I then said, " I will bet you $i,ooo that I can turn up 
the old man the first time." I told the old gentleman that 
we might as well get some of his money, as he would lose 
it anyway before he got back to Texas. 

Finally the cow-boy took out another dirty rag, unrolled 
it, and displayed a roll of money the size of one's leg. He 
counted out $i,ooo, saying, " I'll go you once, for I don't 
'low any man to back me out." He mixed the cards u^, 



ox THE Missrssippi. 107 

and I turned up the one with the bent corner and won the 

money. 

The cow-boy laughed and said, " Well, I'll be gol 
darned if you didn't get me. You must have right smart 
eyes, for I swan I didn't know which one it was myself." 

The old gentleman asked if he would bet with him. 

"Oh, yes; you are old, and can't see like this feller," 

said he. 

" Don't be so sure about me not being able to see well," 

replied the old gent. 

"You couldn't keep the run of them like this fellow; 
and then I guess as how you haven't got much money," 
said the cow-boy. The old gent then got out his leather, 
and it was chuck full of big bills. He took out $500 and 
put it up in my hands. The cow-boy told him he would 
not bet less than $2,000; and said he, "The Indians bet 
more'n that on a foot-race down where I live." I told the 
old gent it would serve the fellow^ just right if he would 
win all his money ; so he put up the $2,000, turned a card 
and lost. I snatched up the old man card and turned up 
the corner again, then said, " How in the name of common 
sense did you come to make that mistake?" 

" Why, I turned the one with the corner up," says he. 
" No, you did not, for here it is," I said, picking up the 
v/inner. The old fellov/ thought he had made a mistake, 
and the cow-boy told him he couldn't see well, for he was 
too old. I then told him to mix them up, and I would bet 
him $1,000. He did so, and I won. Then the man from 
Michigan got out what he had left, amounting to $1,200, 
and said, " This is all I have with me, but I will bet it." 
He turned a card, but again he lost. He then settled back 
in his seat as though he was going to stay right there, and 
1 don't believe he would have got out if the car had run 

off the track. 

The cow-boy put his cards back into the dirty rag, and 
remarked, "I be gol darned if I haint laming to play 
this 'er' game nigh like them Chicago chaps ; and if I 



l6S FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

hadnH been pranking with you feller with the smart eyes, 
I reckon I would have been about even." He got up, bid 
us good-day, and started out. 

We sat there talking about the cow-boy's tricks for a 
short time, when in came my partner, Tripp, all dressed 
up so that no one would suspicion that he was ever a cow- 
boy. I introduced him to the old gentleman from Mich- 
igan, but he was not near so talkative as he was when we 
first got acquainted. I did not want to hurt his feelings, 
so I did not say anything about the game before my part- 
ner ; and I believe the old fellow was glad of it, for he 

looked just as if he would rather no one but that d d 

cow-boy and myself should know what a sucker he had 
been. When we changed cars we bid him good-day, and 
I said, " If you see that fool with the steers in New York, 
tell him not to go pranking with any more new games, or 
he will lose all his money." He looked at me in such a 
way that I believe he did not want to see him, although 
he did not say so. 

CAUGHT A DEFAULFER. 

• 
It is a singular fact that most of the men who turn out 

embezzlers, defaulters, and dishonest clerks, sooner or later 

lose their money gambling. Oftentimes it is their love of 

cards that induces them to commit the crimes they do. I 

very well recollect a number of instances of this kind, and 

one in particular. I was going up the river on board the 

y. M. ^F////^,when I received a card requesting me to call at 

room No. 14. The name was written in a business hand, 

so I knew the card was from a gentleman. When I knocked 

a voice said, " Come in ! " Upon entering, I saw a young 

man that I knew very well, who was a bookkeeper in one 

of the largest cotton houses in New Orleans. I at once 

inquired what he was keeping himself locked up in his 

room for, and he replied, " I am afraid to show up in the 

cabin, but I. will tell you all about it before you get off;" 

as he knew that I rarely went above Baton Rouge. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 169 

Late at night he came out of his state-room so com- 
pletely disguised that I did not know him. We took several 
drinks together, until he began to feel jolly ; then I asked 
him what he was up to. " Well," he replied, " I have been 
playing the bank and poker for some time, and have been 
several thousand dollars loser, and I knew sooner or later 
the books would be overhauled, so I collected some money 
and skipped. Here I am, and what to do I don't know, 
nor where I shall wind up." 

" Oh, there are plentj' of people in the same box that 
you are," I said. " Don't flatter yourself that you are the 
onl}^ one who has taken money ; but perhaps they will now 
go through the books, and, discovering the deficit, arrest 
you." 

•'Yes, but I don't intend to be caught. I think I will 
go to Canada. I am now traveling under an assumed 
name." 

"Are you sure none of the discharging clerks saw you 
when you came aboard? " 

" I was in this disguise, and came over two boats until 
I reached this one, and having a friend with me, he secured 
a room for two." 

'* How much did you get away with? " 

"Seventy-two hundred dollars." 

Which he had collected the day before he left. He 
proposed going out and shaking the dice for the drinks. I 
stuck him again and again, and at last he proposed to shake 
for five dollars. That suited me ; and when he proposed to 
shake for ten dollars, I was ready. 

Then I began to work him, for I thought I might as 
well have that money as anybody, as I knew he would 
gamble, and never reach Canada with it. I suggested that 
we go to my state-room, as the bar-room was too public a 
place, and he acceded. In half an hour we were throwing 
for a hundred dollars a throw, and when I quit I was 
$4,100 ahead, as I knew that it would not do to win it all 
from him, so I told him that I was sleep}'^ and tired. We 



170 



FORTV YEARS A GAMBLER 



took a drink at the bar, and he drank so heavily that I was 
obliged to tell the porter to see him to his room. 

I knew that he must have money to get out of the 
country, and it would not do to break him, as I would then 
have to loan him money. We were then twenty-five miles 
from Baton Rouge, and I slept on a couple of chairs in the 
cabin, and was awakened by my partner, who wanted to 
know if I wanted to sleep forever — as I had retired with 
him, but, unable to sleep, had risen. When I told my part- 
ner of the roll I had made, he said that I was the luckiest 
man he ever saw ; but I told him it was no luck to hold out 
the dice most of the time. 

When we reached New Orleans the detectives were 
hunting him high and low, but they thought he had gone 
out on one of the trains, and I never made them any the 
wiser. When they inquired if I had seen him, I replied; 
" Oh, sufih fellows wouldn't get on a boat where I was." 
From that day to this I have never seen him ; but I think 
he went West, as when he was under the influence of liquor 
he talked a great deal of that part of the country. 

HE'S ONE OF US. 

Tripp and I at one time played an early train from 
Chicago down to Michigan City, and there we got off to 
wait for another train to take us to Detroit. We were in a 
saloon, and wishing for something to turn up that we might 
pass the time until the next train arrived. There was an 
old fellow in the saloon who was very talkative, and I 
learned from his talk that he was well posted about that 
part of the country. I did not think he had any money, 
so I had no idea of playing him, but thought I would talk 
about the country, crops, and such like. We had not 
talked long until I found he was waiting for the same train 
that we were expecting to take. I asked him if he would 
play euchre to pass the time, and he said he would. 

We then sat down and began a game for the drinks. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 17I 

Once in a while the old fellow would say something about 
poker hands, so I finally ran him up the old chestnut of four 
queens and an ace, giving Tripp four kings, and taking 
nothing myself. I came the old 8pit racket, and exposed 
my hand. The old fellow says: "I've a good poker 
hand." 

" How much will you bet on your hand? " I inquired. 

He said, " I will bet five dollars." 

'' Put her up," says I. 

He pulled out his money and put up. 

Tripp then said, " I believe my hand is worth a call." 

I gave them the old " Bush " laugh, and said, " Boys, 
I believe you are both bluffing, so I will raise you both 
$25. Then the old one got out his money again and called. 
Tripp said, " You fellows haven't got anything, and I will 
make you lay down ; I will raise it $ioo. He was right, 
so far as I was concerned, for he did make me lay down. 
The old fellow said, "I'm still on hand, boys." So out 
came the money again, but this time it took all there was 
in the roll. He put up, and called the bet. Tripp had 
hardly time to show his hand when the old fellow, feeling 
so confident, began to pull her down. Tripp showed down 
the old four kings, saying, " Hold on ! old fellow ; not 
quite so fast." He put up his last hundred dollars to see 
that hand, and he saw it. 

About this time our train was coming, so we grabbed 
our grips and lit out. I saw the old gent talking to the 
conductor on the platform, and then go into the smoker. 
We went into the ladies' car, but in a short time I went over 
to take a smoke. I saw the old fellow just across from 
where I was sitting. The conductor came in and passed 
him without getting any ticket or fare, so when he came 
back he sat down with a gentleman just in front of me, who 
was the superintendent of the road. He asked the con- 
ductor why he passed the old fellow. " Oh," says he, 
" He is one of us." 



1^2 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

♦* One of US? That old seedy cuss?" said the superin- 
tendent. 

" Yes, he has been out West running a freight on a sal- 
ary," replied the conductor. 

POSING AS NIC. LONGWORTH'S SON. 

On one occasion while traveling from New Orleans to 
Bacon Rouge, I espied a gentleman who was a Judge at the 
latter place. He was a man of aristocratic bearing, and 
somewhat haughty in his manners. I started up my wheel 
after supper, and soon had a fine game. It was not long 
before I noticed a slick young man that I knew was from 
Cincinnati, walking arm in arm with the Judge, and appar- 
ently on terms of the utmost intimacy with him. This slick 
young Cincinnatian had introduced himself as a son of the 
late Nicholas Longworth, who was well known up and 
down the river. He claimed that he was traveling for his 
health. 

I had made up my mind that he was playing a dead 
card, as I did not think the Judge was of much force, 
though he always appeared to have plenty of money. They 
soon were playing euchre, and began talking about poker, 
and presently the Judge came to me and said, " Devol, 
will you loan me $500? I will pay you when Baton 
Rouge is reached. I am a sure winner," he continued 
and looking at his hand, I saw the old familiar four queens 
and an ace, with which I had downed so many suckers. I 
must say that I wanted to see him get it in the neck, and 
I was not disappointed. I took chances, and loaned him 
$500, and when I saw Longworth's would-be son putting it 
in his pocket that was the last time I ever beheld that 
money. The Judge never recognized me again. This is 
what an honest man gets when in bad company. 



ON THE MISSibSIPPI. 1 73 



THE GOOD DEACON. 

I was playing on the North Missouri Railroad, just out 
of Kansas City, having a man named Jeffers as a partner. 
One evening a fine looking, solid appearing gentleman 
came along, and appeared to take a great interest in the 
game, which was just for fun. Jeffers came up and insisted 
on betting, but I quickly replied that I did not care to bet, 
as I was only showing my friend the game so as to guard 
him against ever betting on it in case he ever saw it being 
played. Jeffers was so persistent that I finally yielded, at 
the same time telling him that the odds were so much in 
my favor that I would not mind venturing. " Why, I can 
pick up the right card every time," he said. At last, turn- 
ing to my friend, I observed, *' I have a great mind to let 
the fool lose his money." Accordingly I remarked, " I'll 
go you $ioo that you can't," and at once pulled out a big 
roll, which made the solid man look bad. The play was 
made, and I won, which greatly amused my friend, who 
was anxious for my success, as the fellow had given me the 
dare in a blustering sort of a way. Jeffers made no kick, 
but, picking up the cards, put a spot on one of them, which 
he showed my friend, threw the cards on the table and said, 
"Throw again." My friend gave me a hunch, as he did 
not wish to see me worsted. I paid no attention to him, 
however, when Jeffers pulled out $200, played it, and won. 
Then, turning to my friend, he said, "Take $200, play it 
for me, and I'll pay you for your trouble." He did so, and 
won. I laughed, and let the old fellow know that I didn't 
think he had pluck enough to bet at any game. 

" Oh, I would bet if the money I have was my ownc'* 
Then Jeffers began to work him, telling him that I was 
rich, and that they might as well have some of my money 
as not. "Just try it once," said the insinuating Jefi'ers. 
" Put the money in my hand, and when you win I will hand it 
back to you." Jeffers next offered to bet again, but I said 



174 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



. I wouldn't bet with him, " but I will with my friend here, 
as his eyes are not so keen as yours." At last the old 
man pulled out $ioo, and I tried to make him put up more, 
but he stuck to the $ioo, when I said, " I will have to 
raise you $900" — as I had noticed that he had $1,000 in 
the roll. He wanted to take down his money, but I couldn't 
see it, so Jefters told him if he didn't put up the $900 that 
he would lose what he had put up, so at last he laid it up, 
turned the card, and lost. Then I looked for fun. 

At this moment the porter of the sleeper came in and 
told me that my wife wanted to see me for a moment. Ex- 
cusing myself, I started back, with my friend at my heels, 
but the porter refused him admission to the sleeper. I was 
ready to get off at the first station, but waited until the 
train was under way, when I dropped off, only to find that 
some one else had done the same thing, and was rolling 
over in the sand. I went to see who it was, and there was 
my friend, considerably bruised and banged up. 

" Do you live here ?" I asked. 

" Oh, no," he replied ; " but I want my money back." 

*' Well, if that is what you got off for, you are a bigger 
fool than I took you to be, for not one cent will you ever 
get of that money." 

He hung to me nearly all night, until I was compelled 
to tell my story to a man at the station, and get him to 
hitch up a horse for me and leave it standing behind a 
small hill, and have another horse ready in his barn so 
that he could follow me and show me the road. A bran 
new twenty-dollar bill consummated this arrangement. 

I fooled around with the sucker for some time ; then run- 
ning, I mounted the horse and galloped off. The game 
worked to perfection. The old fellow bawled out that I had 
stolen a horse, and the owner mounted the other horse and 
pushed hard after me. When I had gone about four miles 
I slackened up and let him overtake me, and we reached 
another .train going to Kansas City fifteen minutes before 
starting time. The owner of the horses returned to town 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 175 

and told the stor3r that he had fired at me, and that I was 
wounded and bleeding, and, he feared, would die. Jeffers 
came up to Kansas City the next day, and was astonished 
to see me alive. 

Several days after I came face to face on the street 
with my old friend, who at once had me arrested for 
stealing $i,ooo from him. I went to the chief's office, and 
explained that I had neither stolen a horse nor robbed any 
body ; thst I had won the money at cards. The old fellow 
wanted the money back, and declared that he was a deacon 
in a church. Jeffers, the capper, came in when he heard 
that I was arrested, and told the chief that he had given the 
deacon ten dollars to win the bet for him, so the chief, in 
the face of this evidence, had nothing to do but release me. 
The next day a prominent member of the church was 
scouring Kansas City for the good deacon, thinking he 
had absconded with the church funds. I never gave up a 
cent, though when they have passed around the hat I have 
always chipped in, and, during the last forty years, have 
probably contributed to churches ten times as much as the 
deacon lost, and never regretted it either. 

NARROW ESCAPES. 

There are a great many men who, whenever they .ose 
any money, begin to kick, and oftentimes they will resort 
to very desperate means to recover back the money which 
they have honestly lost. Coming out of Canton, Miss., 
one night on the Jackson Railroad, I won some money in 
the smoking-car, and then retired to the sleeper and was 
reading a paper, when the conductor coming along said, 
"Are you the gentleman who won some money a short 
time ago in the smoker?" 

" I am, sir." 

" Well, you want to be on the lookout, as the parties 
are threatening to have it back or there will be blood." 

Just then the three entered the car, and as I raised up 



1^6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

my eyes the foremost one, a Pittsburger, said, " We are 
looking for you.'" " Well, you have found me at home ; 
what is your business?" " We want' our money back ; and 
if we don't get it, you will never get off this train alive." 

That was enough for me, and in a second I had my big 
gun leveled at the one nearest me, and I said, "If you 
move an inch I'll cook your goose for you sure." He fell 
back in good order, and in the next second the man behind 
him made a break at me, when I caught him with my big 
three-pound pistol, splitting his head open ; and next I 
made a lunge for the third man, cutting him over the fore- 
head so that he fell through a rack of glass, and when he 
raised up I struck him with my head. The conductor and 
brakeman interfered and took the ruffians out. There was 
a quart of blood on the floor ; and at the first station they 
sent out and procured sticking-plaster. I paid the porter 
$12 to sponge up the blood and get the glass reset. 

A man once pulled out his gun on me at Milan, whom 
I had beaten out of $ipo. I let on as though I would re- 
turn it, until he turned his head away, when I hit him a 
stinging blow on the ear that doubled him up like a jack- 
knife. I took his pistol, and was arrested for winning hit, 
money and assaulting him ; but when the Judge heard the 
testimony, he fined us both $5 and costs, amounting to 
$6.50. He gave the fellow a lecture for drawing a pistol, 
and I paid my fine and was off. 

Another time in New Orleans, I was crossing the levee 
late one niglit with a valise full of money, when two men 
came from behind a cotton bale and started toward me. I 
pulled out my big pistol and told them an inch further ar,d 
I would shoot. They weakened, and after (hey started I 
turned her loose, to enjoy the sport of seeing them run. 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI. I77 



A CRAZY MAN. 

One afternoon I started from Kansas City on the Mis- 
souri Pacific Railroad, and while seated waiting for the 
train to start I fell asleep. We had not gone more than 
ten miles when a crazy man, armed with a Colt's navy, 
entered the car. The passengers all fled, leaving me 
alone. Up rushed the lunatic and cracked me over the 
head a couple of times with so much force that I speedily 
awoke, and saw this wild-eyed man standing over me say- 
ing, "If you move I will kill you." I didn't move ; only 
said, "You have made a mistake;'' at which he backed 
out of the car. Thereupon the passengers all rushed m 
with revolvers in hand, wanting to know where that lunatic 
was. Though I have seen many crazy people since, I can 
never foiget the terrible glare of those eyes, and can com- 
pare them to nothing but the fiery glare of a cat's eyes m 
the dark. I returned to Kansas City and laid up for some 
time, as the physicians feared that erysipelas would set in. 
It was not more than a week after this that the lunatic was 
seen on a house-top hurling bricks down on the passers-by. 
He was at last lassoed with a rope and taken to the station- 
house. He butted his brains out against the iron bars of 
his cell and killed himself. 

EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS AGAINST A 

PISTOL. 

I was playing monte one night on the Robert E. Lee^ 
when a fellow stepped up to the table and bet me $800. 
I knew it was all the money he had, for he tried to make 
it $1,000 by putting up his watch; but in those days I 
would not turn for a watch unless it was a Juergensen or 
very fine make. When he had lost his money and spent 
a few moments studying, he whipped out a Colt's navy and 
said, " See here, friend, that is all the money I have got, 

T2 



lyS P'ORTV YEARS A GAMDLER 

and I am going to die right here but I will have it back." 
I coolly said, *'Did you think I was going to keep the 
money?" He replied, " I knew very well you would not 
keep it. If you had, I would have filled you full of lead. 
I am from Texas, sir ;" and the man straightened himself 
up Pulling out a roll of money, I said, " I want to whis- 
per to you." He put his head down, and I said ''that I 
didn't want to give up the money before all these people ; 
that then they would want their money back ; but you offer 
to bet me again, and I will bet the $800 against your 
pistol." 

That pleased him. "All right," he said, and the $800 
and pistol went up in my partner's hands. Over went the 
wrong card. I grabbed the pistol, and told my partner to 
give me the stake money. Pulling the gun on him, 
" Now," I said, "you have acted the wet dog about this, 
and I will not give you a cent of your money ; and if you 
cut any more capers, I'll break your nose." I presented 
the pistol to the mate of the boat, who kept it for a num- 
ber of years, and said that it was the best he had eve" 
owned. 

Another time on the same boat I was playing euchre 
with a Californian, when we got to betting on poker hands. 
He lost i^i,6oo and his watch, then told the clerk that he 
was going to his state-room for his pistol, and going to kill 
that gambler on sight. The clerk soon gave me a hint, 
and I got out old Betsy Jane ; and pretty soon he came 
along, holding his pistol under his coat, and just as he 
stepped out of the cabin door I pulled down on him, say- 
ing, "I have got you, my boy, and if you make one move 
ril turn her loose." He saw I had the drop on him, threw 
up both hands ; and taking his pistol away, I threw it into 
the river. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 179 

IT WAS COLD. 

There are many occasions when a shrewd man can get 
in his work on gamblers, it matters not how smart they are, 
provided his conduct is not suspicious, and his ambition so 
vaulting that when it leaps it is not lost upon the other side. 
I shall never forget the trip that I made down the river 
from Louisville in the good old ante-bellum days. When 
we reached the mouth of the Cumberland River, Anderson 
Waddell, who is now one of Louisville's wealthiest citizens, 
and William Cheatham came on board bound for the New 
Orleans races. Charles Burns and Edward Rvan, better 
known to the sporting fraternity as " Dad Ryan," were 
along with me. Both Waddell and Cheatham were gentle- 
men of good repute in Nashville, and it was not long before 
they proposed a game of poker. Burns and Ryan both sat 
in the game, and at the time they were unknown to the 
gentlemen. The wine flowed freely, and everybody felt 
very happy, and I resolved that it was about time for me to 
go to the bar and procure some cards similar to those they 
were playing with. It did not take me long to run up three 
good hands, and, sitttng down by Ryan, I laid the cold deck 
in Ryan's lap. It was not long before the cold deck came 
up, and then the boys began to bet lively, each getting in a 
few hundred. Then Waddell commenced to smell a rat, and 
turning to Cheatham, said, " Hold on, Bill, don't go in 
any deeper, as I think this deck of cards does not feel as 
warm as it did a few minutes ago." 

"Oh, no," responded Bill, " I hardly believe there is 
anything wrong." 

At last they came to a call ; then they knew that 
they had got the worst of it, yet they never uttered a word 
or made a kick, and when we reached New Orleans they 
confessed that the boys had made suckers of them. Poor 
Bill is now dead, and Waddell, who is still living, would, 
if asked, laugh and say that he had long ago learned not 
to hunt up poker games on steamboats. 



l8o FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



HOW I WAS BEAT. 

Sam Houstin and Harry Monell were in business with 
me working the Missouri Pacific, and we were very suc- 
cessful, making a great deal of money. During the 
summer we played the bank, and in the winter operated on 
the river and Southern roads. Immediately after the big 
lire we resolved to go to Chicago, but, at the last minute, 
Houstin was unable to go ; but I told him he should be in 
with the play, and share the profits as if he was along. 

Monell and I started, and made a few hundred dollars, 
and when Houstin joined us he received his share of the 
spoils. We were all stopping at the Tremont House, on 
Lake Street. We made a little money, and one Sunday 
morning I arose early, and resolved to go out on the road 
about twenty miles. While waiting for breakfast I made 
the acquaintance of a gentleman from Texas, who had just 
sold some cattle that he had brought with him. We had a 
cocktail together, and I sent the porter to awaken my part- 
ners, whom I duly introduced to the stranger, letting them 
know that he had money, and to keep a sharp lookout on 
him until Monday morning. When I returned at night I 
found that my partners had beat the Texan, and he had 
Houstm locked up in jail. I carried him down a good 
supper from a restaurant, and then hunted up the Texan, 
who told me that he had started in betting, and at fii'st won, 
and then lost $7,600, and that his only object in arresting 
Houstin was to scare him so as to get his money back. 
The other man he could not find. He said he had gambled 
when in Texas, but these fellows were too smart for him, 
and that he could not afford to lose that money. 

When the case was called for trial, the Judge dismissed 
it on the ground that they were all gamblers. Nothing was 
said about the settlement of the game for a couple of days, 
when one -morning they both arose, paid their bills, and 
skipped, and I never received a cent of that money. I have 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. l8l 

since learned that Monell is doing time at Sing Sing, along 
with '* Paper Collar Joe," while Houstin is an old man 
trying to lead a square life, I understand, down in Florida. 
The late Sherman Thurston once said to me, "George, 
those fellows are rotten apples ;" but I did not heed his 
advice, and let them alone, 

SETTLED OUR HASH. 

Jew Mose and myself were once traveling on the Mis- 
souri Railroad, having headquarters at Cheyenne and mak- 
ing a good deal of money, when one evening I picked up 
a man on the sleeper and beat him out of $1,200, That 
game settled our hash, for he proved to be one of the 
directors of the road, and as soon as he reached Omaha he 
had a lot of handbills printed and hung up in the cars, not 
only prohibiting gambling, but that conductors permitting 
the game on their cars would be at once discharged. I 
was then running a game in Greer Brothers' Gold Room 
Saloon, and occasionally slipped out and started a game 
on some of the trains. There were a dozen cow-boys 
aboard one night, when Mose opened out and took in a 
couple of them. They began to drink heavily, and then 
resolved to make the gambler disgorge. I expected fun, 
so I told Mose to get off and jump on the engine at the 
first station. He was none too quick, for the boys went 
through,, the train and never found him ; but they never 
said a word to me, as they supposed I was a sucker like 
themselves, for at the time I was very roughly dressed. 
These cow-boys, while very blustering when on the trains, 
were peaceable enough when they entered a gambling- 
house ; for the gamblers would stand no foolishness with 
them, and were always prepared to draw at a second's 
warning. 



l82 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



I RAISED THE LIMIT. 



I recollect playing in a game of poker at one time on 
the steamer Natchez. It was a five- handed game, and the 
party. were ail friends of each other. We were playing on the 
square, with a straight deck of cards and for a small limit. 
I could enjoy myself in such a game for a limited time ; 
then the old desire to play my tricks would come over me, 
and I could not resist the temptation. I did not want to 
beat my friends only on the square, but I did want to have 
some fun ; so I excused myself for a few moments and left 
the table. On my return I sat in again, and the game 
went on as before. We had been playing a short time, 
when one of the boys picked up his hand, got a glimpse of 
it, and then threw it down as quick as lightning, saying, 
" What's the limit ?" All the others looked at their hands, 
but none of them seemed to remember what limit we had 
been playing. One thought it was $10, but was willing to 
raise it to $20 if the others would agree. I remarked that 
the limit had been but $5, but I never kicked if anybody 
wanted to raise her. So they all consented to raise it to 
$20. The one next to the age put up the limit, the next 
one saw that and went him twenty better, the next one did 
the same. I said, " Boys, you are bluffing, so I will just 
call." The age then raised her the limit, and it went 
around until most of the boys had put up ail their money. 
Then it came to a draw. Some took one card, some stood 
pat, and I took three. Then the betting was resumed at a 
lively rate Those that had put up all their money bor- 
rowed from their friends ; and, to tell the truth, I never 
did see four men have so much confidence in their hands. 
I kept calling, and finally it was a call all round, but no 
one wanted to be the first to show down. I threw down 
three tens, when they all said, -'I've got you beat." I 
said, "Gentlemen, it's a call all round; why don't you 
show down?" They all came down about the same time; 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 83 

and you should have been there — for all the passengers on 
the boat were looking on. They saw each other's hands, 
and I be gol darned if every one of them didn't have fours, 
and they were all aces at that. All four of them spoke up 
in the same breath, " Who dealt the cards?" I replied, 
" I did." We sent for the first and second clerks to bring 
a quire of paper and figure out who won the money and 
how much each one was entitled to. After the problem 
was solved we resumed the play, but first the boys made 
me swear I did not have any more cold decks on my per- 
son with sixteen aces in them. As I had raised the limit 
to $20, I took the oath, and we again settled down to a 
square game. 

GOT OFF BETWEEN STATIONS. 

A man by the name of Charlie Adams, Tripp, and my- 
self, started out from Chicago on the Michigan Central 
Railroad one day, to turn a few honest dollars. We took 
separate cars and began looking for game. I was in the 
ladies' car, and thought I saw plenty of material, but the 
most of it was handicapped with female riders. There 
was one old gentleman sitting alone,. so I took a seat beside 
him and began to feel his pulse. He had sold a pair of 
horses for $800, and an interest in a patent for $1,600. I 
did not want to play him in that car, for I wanted some of 
the others a little later on ; so I invited him to join me 
in a smoke. He declined, and told me that he never 
smoked a cigar, chewed tobacco, or drank a drop of 
liquor in his life. Then I knew he would be a darling 
sucker ; so I invited him to go over in the smoking-car 
until I could have a litde smoke myself. He consented, 
and we went over. We took a seat just behind a green 
looking countryman who was smoking a cob pipe, and it 
was not long until he turned round and asked us the name 
of a station we had just passed. We did not know the 
name, so he said : "I don't wonder you can't tell the 
names, for I never saw so many towns strung 'long a rail- 



184 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

road. Why, out where I live we don't have a town only 
about once in fifty miles." 

I asked him where he lived. He replied : " When I'm 
to hum, I lives on a ranch in Colorado ; but I've been to 
Chicago sellin' of my steers, and them thar fellows came 
nigh gettin' the best of me with some of their new-fangled 
games ; but they gave me some of their tickets, and when 
I get home I'll make the boys think I didn't take my crit- 
ters to Chicago for nothing. I guess as how they would 
have got more of my money, but I left it up at the tavern 
with the feller that had his hair all glued down to his fore- 
head as if he thought it would fall off. So when they 
got all I had with me they thought I was broke and let 
me go." 

The old gent asked him to show us how they beat him 
with the tickets. He said, " I've not larnt it yet, but I will 
try and show you ;" so he got out his three tickets and began 
to throw them on the seat, explaining that we must guess the 
ticket with the little boy on it. We guessed, sometimes 
right and sometimes wrong. I bent up the corner of the 
little boy ticket, and told the old gent not to turn that one 
until we got a bet out of the fool ; so we would miss it 
every time after that. Finally I offered to bet him $500 
that I could turn up the boy ticket the first turn. He said, 
"No, I wont bet on her yet, for I can't play her good 
'nough." Then I offered to bet him five to two, so he got 
out his big roll, saying, "This is the money I left up to the 
tavern, so I'll just try you once." I put up my $500, and 
he put up $200. I turned the ticket with the corner bent, 
And won. 

He looked at me a moment, then said to the old gent, 
who was holding stakes, "Give him the money, for gol 
darned if he didn't get her fair.'" 

Then I offered to bet him $1,000, but he said, " You 
got an eye like an Indian, and I don't want to play with 
you any more ; but I will play with your pap " (pointing to 
the old gent). 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 185 

The old fellow said, '* I am a church member, and 
never bet ; but I expect some one will win all that fellow's 
money before he gets home." 

"Certainly," said I ; " and we may as well have it as 
any one else." 

The old gent got out his money and wanted to bet $ioo, 
but the fellow would not bet less than $i ,000. I then offered 
to put up the balance, but the fellow would not have it, say- 
ing, "Your eyes are too good." Then the old gent put up 
the money in my hands and turned the card ; but it was 
not the winner, for somehow, in mixing them, the corner 
of the boy card had got straightened out and the corner of 
another was turned up. I put a mark on the boy card with 
my pencil while the fellow was putting awav his 'money, 
and then told him as he was a little winner he should let 
me bet once more. He said, "All right," so I put up 
$1,000, turned the marked card and won. 

The old church member could not stand it to see me 
win all that fool's money, so he put up $1,000 more in 
order to get even. The fellow told him he would make it 
$1,500; and as that would get him out ahead, up she went, 
and he turned the marked card ; but, as was the case with 
the crocked corner, the little mark was on another card. 
The old gent dropped back in his seat with a groan, and 
just then a gentleman who had been sitting across the aisle 
got up and said, " You fellows have been trying to rob 
this boy out of his money. I have been watching you, 
and will report you to the officers at the next station." The 
old gent got up and started back to his car, saying to me 
in a whisper, " You had better get out of this, or you may 
get into trouble." I replied, "I think so myself." So I 
got up and started back with him, but he was in such a 
hurry that I got lost from him. When the train got up to 
the next station, there were three less passengers on board 
than when that fellow said, "I will report you to the 
officers." 



1 86 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



A GOOD NIGHT'S. WORK. 

There had been quite a number of communications re- 
ceived by the officers of the Michigan Southern, complain- 
ing about the gamblers beating the passengers on that road, 
consequently orders were issued to the conductors not to 
allow any gambling on their trains. They did try to pre- 
vent it, but the boys were too smart for them, and got away 
with many a good dollar while the conductor was collecting- 
fare or out on the platform at a station. The result was, 
the complaints continued to go to the officers of the road, 
and some of them went so far as to claim that the conduc- 
tors we/e in with the gamblers. The poor conductors in- 
sisted that they could not watch the rascals and their train 
at one and the same time ; but the superintendent thought 
they could, and threatened to discharge any one who was 
complained of again. He found out one day that the con- 
ductors were right and he was wrong. 1 will tell you how 
lie was convinced. 

Tripp, Adams, and myself got on a train going out of 
Chicago on the Michigan Southern one evening, and took 
seats in different parts of the car. In a few moments after 
the train started, the conductor and a fine looking old gray- 
headed gentleman came into the car where we were seated, 
and something told me that he was one of the officers. I 
Sciw them talking together a short distance from where I 
was sitting alongside of a big fat man. The conductor 
was evidently pointing us out, for I could see by his actions 
that they had us spotted. The other boys knew what was 
in the wind, for we had all been there before and under- 
stood our business. The conductor left the car, but the old 
gentleman took a seat facing us ; so we began to think the 
jig was up for that trip, for there was a pair of eyes con- 
stantly upon us. But as we did not make a move, the old 
fellow got' a little careless, took out a package of papers, 
and began to look over them. When I saw he was very 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 87 

much interested in his papers and began to use his pen- 
cil, I gave Tripp the wink, and he slipped over to my seat. 
We went through the old business about the same as if the 
old pair of eyes was not in the same car, only we talked 
low, and while the car was in motion no one could hear 
what was going on. 

Just before we reached a station, Tripp beat the big fat 
man out of $600, and he had beaten me out of $500 before 
we got him to put up. I gave him the office to get off at 
the station ; so when the cars stopped, he was on the plat- 
form . 

There was a Jew sitting just behind us who had been 
watching the game, and he saw Tripp out on the platform, 
so he laughed and said, "You see that fellow? He gets 
off when he wins your moneys." 

The old superintendent jumped up, put away his papers, 
and said: "What's that? Some one been gambling m 
this car ?" 

The Jew told him that the .fellow with the slouch hat 
had won $600 from the big fat man, and $500 from me. I 
told my fat friend it was no one's business if we lost our 
money ; so when the old gent, who had been watching his 
papers just long enough for us to get our work in, came up 
to us and asked if we had lost some money, my fat friend 
said, " It's none of your business; the money did not be- 
long to you." 

Just then the conductor came in, so the superintendent 

said to him: "Those d d villains have played their 

games right under my very nose, beat these d d fools 

out of over $1,000, and got off. Now, if any one comes 
into my office and tells me that our conductors are in with 

the d d gamblers, I will take a club and knock his 

d d brains out. You attend to your train hereafter, and 

let the d d suckers take care of themselves." 

The conductor said, "All right, sir." 

The old fellow was so hot that he went out into another 
car to cool off. My fat friend bid me good-bye soon after, 



l88 FOKIV YEARS A GAMHl.KR 

and asked me to call on him, should I ever stop off at his 
place. I promised to do so, and we separated warm 
friends. When I told Tripp what the old superintendent 
said, he replied, "George, it's the best night's work we 
ever did." 

At another time we were playing a train (or at least we 
had paid our passage for the purpose of turning a few dol- 
lars), but I noticed that the conductor was watching us very 
closely ; and I knew that about the time we had our man 
ready, he would drop down on us and tell the sucker that 
we were gamblers, and then we would have all our trouble 
for nothing. So I told my partners to work up the busi- 
ness, and when I saw everything was O. K., I would go 
to the conductor and entertain him until the job was 
finished. Well, the boys had a fellow all ready to blow 
himself, when I saw the knight of the punch bearing down 
upon them. I jumped up and met him, but he was in a 
hurry, and did not want to stop ; so I caught him, and held 
on until all was over. He kicked like a government mule, 
but it was too late ; so he said I would not catch him again. 
I gave him a cigar, and told him I would try a new scheme 
next time, as a burnt child dreaded the fire. He laughed, 
and so did I, and that ended it. 

HE'S NOT THAT OLD. 

About forty years ago I was a pioneer in the great 
Northwest (or Lake and Central States), and was pretty 
largely interested in the different branches of business that 
paid a large profit on the amount of capital invested. I 
was running keno in St. Paul ; playing poker with the 
Indians, and running the risk of losing my scalp, in Min- 
nesota ; building frame shanties out of green lumber for 
lodgers, at a dollar a head, at Winona ; and running a res- 
taurant, saloon, billiard and keno room at Dubuque, Iowa. 
I was kept pretty busy looking after and attending to my 
different branches of business, and I divided my time be- 
tween them. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 1 89 

At one time while I was in Dubuque looking after my 
restaurant, saloon, billiard and keno rooms, I met a robust, 
rosy-cheeked young man, who had come out West seeking 
his fortune in the show business. He came into my place 
and introduced himself, as he was a total stranger in those 
parts. I took quite a liking to the good-looking young 
man, and I told him to make my place his home while he 
remained in our town. He thanked me for my kindness 
(for in those days I was kind), and said he would be 
pleased if I would assist him in advertising his show. 
They did not have such large, handsome show-bills to 
draw the crowds (to the bill-boards, I mean) in those days, 
as they have now ; but this young showman knew a thing 
or two, so he adopted the plan that is largely practiced by 
our minstrel troupes at this late day. He got some of us 
ordinary-looking chaps to show him the town — I don't 
mean like it is done in these days. He wanted us to walk 
around all the nice streets, so he could see the people, and 
so the girls could see him. We did it ; and the result was, 
all the girls in that place were at the show the first night. 
I got all the boys to go over and give the young fellow a 
lift ; and when he left the town, he was much better fixed 
financially than when he landed. All the girls (and some 
of the boys) were sorry to see him leave. He thanked me 
for the favors (more especially for the one of showing him 
the town), and he has not forgotten them to this day, for 
we often speak of the old times out West ; but he insists that 
it is not near forty yeaYs ago. But I know why he don't 
want me to give dates. He need not fear, for I will not 
tell who the good looking, rosy-cheeked boy was that I 
met in Dubuque about forty years ago ; and no one would 
ever guess, for at that time he was not running a Grand 
Opera House — and, "by Joe'' (Biiou), I don't believe he 
ever expected to. 



190 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



CANADA BILL. 



Canada Bill was a character one might travel the length 
and breadth of the land and never find his match, or run 
across his equal. Imagine a medium sized, chicken-headed, 
tow-haired sort of a man with mild blue eyes, and a mouth 
nearly from ear to ear, who walked with a shuffling, half- 
apologetic sort of a gait, and who, when his countenance 
was in repose, resembled an idiot. For hours he would sit 
in his chair, twisting his hair in little ringlets. Then I 
used to say, ''Bill is studying up some new devilment." 
His clothes were always several sizes too large, and his 
face was as smooth as a woman's and never had a particle 
of hair on it. Canada was a slick one. He had a squeak- 
ing, boyish voice, and awkward, gawky manners, and a 
way of asking fool questions and putting on a good natured 
sort of a grin, that led everybody to believe that he was the 
rankest kind of a sucker — the greenest sort of a country 
jake. Woe to the man who picked him up, though. Can- 
ada was, under all his hypocritical appearance, a regular 
card shark, and could turn monte with the best of them. 
He was my partner for a number of years, and many are 
the suckers we roped in, and many the huge roll of bills we 
corralled. He was an arrant coward, though, and would 
not fight a woman if she said boo. His right name was 
Jones. When Tom Brown and Holly Chappell traveled 
with me, the four of us made a quartette that could give 
most any crowd any sort of monte they wanted. Brown 
got $240,000 for his share of the profit, and Chappell went 
North with his portion, and is to-day as poor as myself. 
Bill never weighed over 130 pounds, and was always com- 
plaining of pains in his head. I always found him honest 
to a fault ; and when the poor fellow died, I felt that I had 
lost one of my truest friends. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. J pi 



THE NATCHEZ AND THE LEE. 

When the great steamboat race came off between the 
Natchez and the Robert E. Lee. the excitement all alonof 
the Mississippi River, and at St. Louis, New Orleans, and 
all the river towns, was at fever heat. Betting ran high, 
a great deal of money changed hands, and very little else 
was talked about tor a long time. I came to the conclusion 
that the boats were pretty evenly matched, but thought that 
the Natchez ought to beat in a straight run. I knew the 
Lee could make two landings to the Natchez one, the latter 
boat being somewhat top-heavy, and difficult to handle. 
However, I put my money on her, and believe she would 
have won had not Captain Canon out-generaled and 
out-managed Captain Leathers. 

Captain Canon took off every extra pound of freight, 
including anchors, chains, beds, and bedding, even taking 
the doors and shutters off the hinges ; while the hold and 
decks he saved to be filled with dry pine knots. Besides, 
he engaged the steamer Paragoad to go up above Baton 
Rouge, loaded down with the choicest of fuel. The Par- 
agoad was a very fast boat ; and when Baton Rouge was 
reached, the Lee never stopped her engines, only slackened 
her speed a little, while the Paragoad lay alongside and 
dumped the fuel on to the Lee. The Natchez had to land 
and take a coal-boat in tow, and by this management made 
a difference of over three hours. This gave the Lee a start of 
perhaps five hours, as when she did land it was for a mo- 
ment only. The Natchez kept everything on board, and 
caught all the winds, while they whistled through the Lee. 

On the day of the race the excitement was so great in 
New Orleans that when the Mayflower advertised to take 
people up about twenty miles to see the fun, it was not long 
before she was loaded to her gunwales with all the young 
bloods of the Crescent City. A jollier set of fellows never 
got together; and as money was plenty, they made the 



192 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



wine fly with a whirl. I hunted up old Bill and Dad Ryan, 
and made up my mind we would tackle the gentry and 
give them something to spend their money for. Bill 
opened up, and the young sprigs of the aristocracy began 
to pile up the bills, which Bill was not slow to rake in. 
There was nothing mean about Bill, and he didn't refuse 
to take gold watches and sparklers ; and after the game 
closed, some of the fellows resembled picked ducks. They 
wanted to redeem their watches and diamonds, so Bill 
atrreed to meet them at a certain well known saloon the 
next day, as all he wanted was the stuflT. Nearly all of 
them wished to make me a nice present, and none of them 
ever met me afterwards without asking me up to smile. 
Just as Bill was closing up, an old fellow, who knew me 
well, came up and said : 

" Devol, who is that old fool trying to play that game?" 
My friend had been up on the hurricane roof, and had not 
noticed the game going on ; so I remarked to him : 

" Hold on. I have been watching him, and am going 
to take him in pretty soon," I then gave Bill the wink to 
keep on, and turning to the old fellow, I observed, " Don't 
leave here, as I may want you to hold stakes for me.'-' 

"All right," was the answer; and then I turned to Bill 
and said, "Let me see your cards;" sol picked up the 
one with the old woman on it and put a pencil mark on it, 
which I showed the old man (who, by-the-by, was a large 
wholesale grocery merchant, whom I had known for twen- 
ty-five years, and he had seen me play monte many a 
time). I asked the old fellow that was turning the cards, 
" if he would bet on the game." 

" Yes," he replied; "I'll bet you can't find any card 
you may mention, after I mix 'em up." 

Then I said, " Hide the old woman." So he mixed 
them up again, and I said, "I know it's hard to find, but 
I'll bet you $1,000 I can pick her up the first time." He 
laid up -the money on the table, and I continued, "This 
gentleman will hold the stakes." "All right," said Bill, 




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ON THK MISSISSIPPI. I93 

and he put the money in the grocery-man's hand, and I 
turned the card. Bill said, ''All right; fairly won. Give 
him the money ;" and I pocketed the stuff. Then I offered 
to bet him i^2,ooo, but Bill declined to bet with me any 
more; so my iriend the grocery-man spoke up: ''I'll bet 
you I can turn the card." Bill replied, " I have just lost 
$1,000, and if I bet any more it will not be less than 
$2,000." So I handed my friend the money to put up ; but 
Bill wouldn't stand it, and spoke up : "I wont do that. If 
you don't play your own money, I wont bet ;" so I told him 
to just lay it up and turn the card, and I would hand it to 
him. He got out his wallet and put up $1,700, and I 
loaned him $300 to make it up ; so he turned the card. 
The old fellow could not believe himself. He stood still 
for a few minutes, looked at Bill, then at me, and finally 
said, " Devol, lend me a five-dollar bill, and I will go 
home and stay there until I get some sense." He did 
what he said he would, and I never saw him for a 
couple of months, when one day, as I was passing his 
house, he hailed me, and calling me in he counted me out 
$305 in five-dollar bills, and said, " Here is what I owe 
you. Now I want to know if you have found any more 
old fellows* who don't know how to play that game of 
monte." Of course I laughed at the joke, and we were 
always good friends. 

DICKY ROACH AND I. 

While playing one night in St. Louis at old Mr. Peritts' 
game of faro, and Dick Roach was dealing, luck ran 
dead against me, and at every play I turned up loser, when 
in came a drunken man who was quarrelsome, and insisted 
on annoying me. I told him that I was in no condition to 
have anybody clawing me around. Then he got mad and 
wanted to fight. I said nothing, and stood it as long as I 
could, when I got up out of my chair, and hit him a slug in 
the ear that curled him up on the floor like a possum. Then 



1^4 FORTY YEARS A GAMKLER 

I cashed my checks and went out for a walk. I knocked 
around for about half an hour, and got to thinking about 
how much money I had lost, and resolved to try my luck 
again. There was no other bank open, so I went back to 
Peritts' game, and there, sprawled out on the floor, lay the 
big lubber that I had knocked over, and Roach was kneel- 
ing down by him and rubbing him with ice water and a 
towel, so I resolved to take another walk, when Roach, 
catching sight of me, said: " Devol, I guess you owe me 
something for taking care of your patient, and if that's the 
way you hit, I don't want you to hit me. I've been rubbing 
this fellow ever since you left." 

Dick was fond of fun, and had a man who went by 
the name of Shell Fairchild, who he thought could throw 
down or whip anybody, and he was willing to put up his 
money on him. One night we were all in Loops' saloon, 
when Fairchild and Dick Roach came in. Thurston and 
Roach got into an rigument about wrestling, and Thurston 
said, " I have got a man that can put your man on his back 
for this fifty-dollar bill," pulling out the money. Roach 
covered it in a minute, and then Thurston asked me if I 
would wrestle him. "Yes," I said. 

We picked out a place, tossed off our coats, and I put 
him on his back in a minute. That wasn't satisfactory, and 
I did it again. 

" Satisfied," said Roach, as he handed Thurston the 
money. 

Sherman, poor fellow, bucked the fifty dollars right 
against the b ink, and then, of course. Roach got it all back 
again, and Sherman only regretted that he hadn't stuck 
Roach for more. 

KNOCKED DOWN $300. 

Canada Bill and I were on board the steamer Doubloon, 
going up the Red River on one occasion. Bill was doing 
the playing, and I was driving and baiting. We We^t caught 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 195 

a nice string of fish, and had about come to the conclusion 
that there were no more of our kind left worth fishing for, 
when a nice looking young man came swimming up. We 
thought at first he was too small to angle for ; but you can't 
sometimes always tell, for we found out that this one was 
larger than anything we had caught that evening. 

He came right up, and, before we had time to put on 
fresh bait, wanted to bet $500 that he could turn the winner. 

Bill said, " All right ; I'll go you just once," and began 
counting out the money. 

I caught a glimpse of the sucker's leather, and gave 
Bill the office to raise him about $4,000. 

Bill then said, '* I'll just raise you $3,000 if it breaks 
me. 

The young one then turned to me and asked if I would 
hold the money. 

I told him that I did not like to hold stakes, for one or 
the other must lose when two men bet, but if they had a 
thorough understanding, and would promise not to quarrel, 
I would hold the money. 

The sucker replied: " I guess I understand what I'm 
about, and all you have to do is to give the money to the 
one who wins it." 

"All right," says I ; "but I know the loser is not as 
well satisfied as the winner, and I want you gentlemen to 
have a fair understanding. Put up your money, and I will 
hand it over to the one who is the lucky man." 

He counted out what he thought was $3,500, but I saw 
it was $3,800, for I was not a bit excited, although I did 
not like to hold stakes. 

Bill put up $3,500, for he heard me tell the young man 
he had up that amount. After Bill had mixed them up 
and said he was ready, the sucker made a dive and nabbed 
the card with the mark on it, but it was not the winner. I 
asked him if I should give up the money (just as if I did 
not know anything about the game). 

He replied, " I made a mistake. Give him the money." 



14^6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBJLKR 

I handed it over to Bill, and said to the young man as 
he was walking away, " I am sony for your loss, but some 
one must lose when two men bet." 

He replied, " It's all right, but I thought I had a sure 
thing." 

After we closed up, and were taking our night-cap, I 
said to Bill, " What do you think of our last catch? " 

" Well, George, when that chap came right up and 
offered to bet $5cx>, without any coaxing, I thought he was 
a smart one, and may be he would get the right card. I 
don't believe I would have raised that $3,000 if it had not 
been he wanted you to hold the stakes. Then I knew he 
wa§ a sucker sure enough." 

We had another night-cap and then went to bed. The 
next day we settled up, and w^hen Bill divided the $3,800 
we had won on the last shuffle, he only accounted for 

$3,500- 

" I said, '' Bill, that fellow put up $3,800." 

" I guess not, George," he replied ; but I could see that 

he had knocked down $300 on me. 

MY VISIT TO OLD BILL. 

A short time after the occurrence narrated in the pre- 
ceding story, Canada Bill said to me, "George, don't you 
think we could make big money on the wharf-boat at the 
mouth of the Red River, out of those Texas boys that get 
off there to take the Red River boats?" 

I replied, "Yes, there is plenty of money there, Bill. 
When do you want to go up?" 

I thought he wanted to stop off for a few days, as we 
had often done before ; but he said, " George, I am in poor 
health, and I want to quit the river and settle down, and I 
want you to be with mt ." 

I did not blame the old fellow, for many a time we 
would have some pretty hard knocks and duckings in our 
business on the rivers and railroads ; but I was well and 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 1 97 

hearty—and then I was of a roving disposition, and en- 
joyed the life I was leading — so I said : " Bill, you go up 
there and take a rest just as long as you like ; but for me, 
I could not think of settling down on a wharf-boat, with 
nothing but cow-boys to break the monotony. I'll stick to 
the old thing as long as they will let me, or until I get 
married." 

I did not think just then there was any possibility of 
my doing the' latter thing ; but men don't always know just 
what they will do, for I am married now, and have a dear 
old mother-in-law, too. 

" Well, George, I don't like to leave you, but I will try 
her just once, anyhow." 

We separated. Bill went to the wharf-boat, and I be- 
gan looking for another partner. A few months after dis- 
solving partnership with my old friend Bill, 1 met a man 
from Red River who told me that Bill was making big 
money up there. He said, "Why, that crazy looking old 
fellow is running a corner grocery, livery stable, and win- 
ning all the money and horses about the landing." I was 
not sorry he was doing well — in fact, I was glad of it ; and 
I resolved that T would stop off on my next trip and see 
him. So in a few days I was on my way up to the mouth 
of the Red River. When the boat landed I started off, 
and there stood the old fellow, just as natural as life. I 
would have known him among ten thousand. He caught 
sight of me, and then he began to stretch those long thin 
legs of his, and in an instant he had me by the hand, say- 
ing, " Why, George ! I'll be gol darned if 1 haint down- 
right glad to see you, old boy. Come right up and let's 
take something." 

We had a few drinks, talked over old times, and to 
tell the truth, I was just as glad to see the old boy as he 
appeared to be to see me. After we had drank enough to 
make us feel pretty good, Bill said, "George, I've got 
some of the best critters in my barn that there is in this 



igS FORTY YKARS A GAMBl.KR 

part of the country, and I won most of 'em playing the 
baby ticket." 

As we had been together for about an hour and had got 
no further than the bar, I proposed that we go to his stables 
and see the horses, for I was always fond of good stock. 
As we went into the stable, we saw a fellow sitting on a 
box just inside oi the open doors. He looked like a bull- 
driver, with his large whip, slouch hat, pants in boots ail 
covered with mud, and an old pipe in his mouth. I did 
not take much notice of hiin, as I supposed he belonged 
around there ; and then I had come to look at Bill's fine 
horses. 

While we were looking at the stock, some one called 
Bill, and he excused himself for a few moments. In a 
short time Bill came back, and I began asking him some 
questions about a horse I had been looking at ; but Bill 
did not appear to hear me, but said, "George, did you 
notice that bull-driver sitting by the door as we came in 
the stable?" 

" Yes, I saw a fellow sitting there, but I supposed he 
belonged around here, and I did not pay any attention to 
him." 

" Why George I What do you think? That fellow is 
is out there on the box counting his money, and I'll be gol 
darned if he hasn't got nigh on to $10,000, for I saw him 
counting over the big bills until I couldn't stand it any 
longer, and I just came back here to get you, for I know, 
George, that you can get jt if any man can." 

I replied, "■' Bill, I didn't think that old tramp had any 
money ; but if you saw it, all right. We will give him a 
whirl. How will we play him?" 

Bill then said, " Well, George, you go and get in with 
him, and when you are all ready just give me the old sign, 
and I Vv'ill come up and try the old monte on him." 

" All right," said I. So I found the fellow, and began 
my part of the business. I inquired where he came from 
and all that, told him I was a planter waiting for a boat. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



'99 



and invited him to take a drink. While we were drink- 
ing, old Bill came up, rigged out just as I had seen him so 
many times before ; so if the fellow had noticed him and 
I together when we went in the stable, he would not sus- 
picion that Bill was the same person. 

We were just taking another drink when the old crazy 
looking fool came up, so I said to the bull-driver, " What 
do you think of that fellow coming up there? Let's have 
some fun with him." 

"All right," said he. 

So I said, "Come up and join us in a drink; we are 
just taking one." 

Bill walked up and began his talk about where he had 
been, where he was going, and how he had lost his money. 
He got out his tickets and showed us how the game was 
played. We bet the drinks and cigars. I lost $ioo, then 1 
put a spot on the baby and won $500. The bull-driver be- 
gan to get nervous, and finally offered to bet $500 he could 
turn over the baby. 

Bill thought his time had come, so he said, " I'll just 
go you $5,000 that you can't turn the baby." 

The driver got out his big roll and counted out $5,000. 
Bill counted out $4,200, but I called it $5,000- 

Mr. "Bull-driver" then said to me, " If I win that 
money, I'm going to have it; if I lose it, all right; but I 
wont stand any foolishness.'' 

Old Bill gave one of those peculiar chuckles, saying, 
"All right; if you win her, you shall have it." He then 
mixed them up as well as I ever saw him do it in my life, 
and when he was ready the driver made a grab and we 
both thought he was going for the one with the spot on it ; 
but I be darned if he didn't grab up the one with the baby 
Du it, just as he said he v/ould. Then he turned to me 
and said, " Hand over that money, for I won it." 

Bill said, "Hold on; that's one rub on me. Try it 
again." 

Mr. Bull just yanked out a gun as long as your arm. 



200 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

and drew her down on me, saying, " See here ; I want that 

money d— d quick, for I won it fair." He then turned 

the big gun on Bill, and said, "Tell him to hand it over, 

or I be d d if I don't blow h — 1 out of you d d 

quick." 

Poor old Bill was shaking all over, but he managed to 
say, "Give her up, George," He forgot himself when he 
called ni} name ; but the old fellow was excited, and did 
not know that he was giving us both away. 

I handed the fellow the money, and he walked away, 

saying, " I don't want any more to do with you d d 

fellows, for you are in with each other." 

Bill and I stood looking after the fellow until he got on 
the wharf-boat, then he turned to me and said, "George^ 
I've been thinking, and I be darned if I can make out how 
it was he turned the baby. And, George, another thing I 
can't understand. I've seen more than ten guns cocked 
up against your head, and that's the first time I ever saw 
you weaken." 

"Well, Bill, I tell you there was blood in that fellow's 
eyes, and I could see he meant business ; besides, Bill, he 
won the money fair, and you know a fellow will fight like 
thunder for his own." 

"All right, George ; but I've always said no man living 
could make you give up. But I guess you was right this 
time, for I be darned if I didn't think he was going to let 
her go at me before you could hand over." 

We took a drink, and then Bill went to his room to 
take off his make-up. While he was thus engaged, I 
walked down on the wharf-boat, and there was the bull- 
driver, waiting for a boat that was just coming in to the 
landing. I waited for Bill to come down ; but I guess he 
was feeling bad ; so I went up to the stable, and there he 
sat, on the same box where he saw the bull-driver counting 
his money. I went up to him and said, '• Bill, I won $500 
and lost $icx) while we were playing that fellow, so I owe 
you $400 " 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 2GI 

* 

He said, " That's right, George." 

Then I said, " Bill, you only put up $4,200 against hi» 
$5,000, but I called it $5,000." 

" That's right, George." 

"Well, Bill, do you remember the fellow that put up 
$3,800 against the $3,500, and you thought I didn't know 
it?" 

He looked all around the stable as if he was looking 
for the bull-driver, but he didn't say a word. 

I counted out $4,200 and handed it to him, saying, 
** Bill, here is all your money but $300. I wanted to come 
up and see you ; but you know I like to have some fun at 
the expense of my friends, and it cost me just about $300 
to rig out the ' bull-driver' to play you for a sucker." 

Bill looked at me a moment, and then said, " George, 
I am a sucker, for I might have known you was up to 
some of your old tricks." 

BEFORE BREAKFAST. 

After settling up with Canada Bill for the " bull-driver " 
racket, I said to him, '-Well, old boy, you see now that 
we are all suckers, and can be caught if the bait is nicely 
handled." 

" You're right, George," he replied. 

Then I said, " The faro banks are my diet, and short 
cards have landed you many a time, but I must confess that 
I was a little fearful that the bait I had fixed up for you 
would not land a sucker ; but it did, all the same, didn't it 
Bill?" 

"Yes, George," was all he would say. 

" Well now, Bill, that we have had our fun, let's shake 
hands and be good friends." 

He looked at me for an instant, gave one of those old 
chuckles, held out his hand and said, " All right, George." 

We went over to the bar, and sealed the compact with 
a . He arranged his busine,^s. and we started on the 



202 FORTY YICAKS A GAMBLKR 

war-path once more, and were together for two years after 
that, and made a world of mone^- ; but we were both 
suckers when our kind of diet was spread out before us. 

At one time, after forming our new partnership, we 
made our headquarters at Canton, Miss., and worked the 
trains up and down the railroad. We made big mone}'- 
during the week, but on Saturday night we would run 
down to New Orleans, and get away with the most of it 
before Monday morning. We were at the Canton depot 
one evening when the train arrived from New Orleans, and 
among the passengers that got off was my old friend Jack 
Hardy, from Brookhaven, Miss. He was one of the best 
men that the sun ever shone upon, and loved to play poker 
better than to eat when he was hungry. 

After supper we got up a game with some of the Canton 
boys to amuse my friend Hardy. We played along until 
about four o'clock, when some of the Canton boys thought 
I had bested them, so I quit and went to bed. Bill was 
not in the game, but had gone to bed early, as we were to 
take the up train at about six o'clock in the morning. I 
overslept myself, and the train had left when I reached the 
depot. I did not see old Bill, so I went back to the hotel. 
About eight o'clock I went in to breakfast. 

While I was enjoying my morning meal, old Bill walked 
in and sat down wiih me, saying, " George, where was you 
this morning when the up train came in?" 

I replied, " I was up late last night playing poker with 
Hardy and the Canton boys, and overslept myself; but 
what in the d — 1 have you been doing with yourself ? for I 
walked down to the depot to find you, for I knew you would 
not go out without me." 

" Well, George, I did go up about six miles, but could 
not find you on the train, so I got off and walked back." 

*'The h— lyoudid!" says I. 

" Yes, George, I went up, and if you had been with 
me, we would have made over $3,000, for the train was full 
of the best suckers I ever saw." 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI. 203 

" I'm d — d sorry, but I wanted to entertain my old 
friend Hardy, and that's what I get for neglecting busi- 
ness." 

Bill then said, " George, we got $i,7cx) out of the trip, 
anyway, and here is your half." 

I laughed, and told Bill he had done well to make so 
much, and walk six miles before breakfast. He did not 
need to tell me of his winnings, for I could hardly believe 
him when he did; but the "bull-driver" racket at the 
mouth of Red River had taught him a good lesson, and I 
believe did him good ; at least it did me to the amount of 
$850 — before breakfast. 

FOOT RACE. 

One day, after Bill and I had worked the morning train 
on the Jackson Road with that degree of success which was 
warranted by our prudence and perseverance, we took an 
afternoon train into the city, and as I was glancing through 
the cars I spied both of the superintendents aboard, so of 
course I made up my mind that there would be no playing 
on that train. To make the matter doubly sure, one of 
them came to me and said, " George, do not play any on 
our trains." 

" Certainly not, gentlemen, and you can rest assured 
of that" (while you are aboard), I said to myself. 

We had not traveled far when the news came that a 
freight train was ditched a short distance up the road. Our 
train stopped, and the superintendents went to the wreck 
on the engine. Then I saw my chance and got up a foot 
race among the passengers. Meanwhile Billy opened up 
on a log as the contestants were getting ready to run. A 
crowd soon collected around Billy's booth, and he garnered 
in 1,200 good dollars and some fine gold watches. Up came 
the engine, and when the superintendents heard of it, they 
said, " We might have known that Devol would fix up 
some plan to get these suckers' money." 



204 



FORTY YKARS A GAMBLER 



Thus it was that I was always blamed for all the devil- 
ment that was done. I really believe if a horse had been 
stolen the verdict would have been : Devol did it. 

FORTY MILES AN HOUR. 

The train was going out of Louisville. 

The rate of speed was forty miles an hour. 

Ten Owen County yahoos had been beaten at three- 
card monte. 

They pulled at long black bottles. The vacuum made 
by the loss of their money, they filled with whisky. 

" Boys, let's have our money and watches back, or kill 
that <iambler," shouted one of them. 

Owen County boys are rough, and tough. 

It's a word and a blow, and the blow first. 

When in a crowd together, Owen County boys are as 
brave as a warrior ; single-handed and alone, they are as 
cowardly as a sick kitten. 

Canada Bill was not well, so I had been doing the 
playing. 

Bill did the capping ; and as he lost, their suspicion did 
not lijjht on him. 

I suddenly had an idea. I rushed back into the hind 
sleeper, and gave the porter a five-dollar bill. " Tell them 
the door is locked, and I have the key," were m}^ words. 

I was none too quick. The train was going at forty 
miles an hour, and was sixteen minutes behind time. La 
Grange was only three miles oflf, and well I knew that if I 
got oflT there I would have to give up. 

Did I want to give up my hard-earned money? Never ! 
Lowering my body carefully at a clear spot in the road, I 
jumped, took chances, broke no bones, rolled over in the 
dirt, and. heard a .shower of bullets whizzing past my ears 
from the fast receding train, that was soon out of sight. 

Fortunately the country was not new to me, and skip- 



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ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



205 



ping over a fence, I avoided La Grange, and soon reached 
the Lexington Junction, some distance above. 

'* Have you heard the news?" said a switchman. 

" No. What is it ?" 

" The Owen County boys have just killed some gam- 
blers a short distance below Lti Grange." 

"Glad of it," was all the response he got. Meantime 
I walked in towards Lexington. 

At the first station I boarded a train for Lexington, put 
up at the hotel for a couple of days, and there revived an 
acquaintance with Clem Payne, clerk of the hotel, whom T 
had known twenty years or so ago at Kansas City. 

One morning I was called for the early train for Lou- 
isville, and while waiting for breakfast I made the acquaint- 
ance of a large fat man, who was going on a stage journey 
afar back in the country. 

We got into conversation (I was always partial to con- 
versation with strangers), and it was not long before I 
showed him the big three. 

He became intensely interested, and in a few moments 
I had his twelve fifty-dollar bills. 

I did not deem it advisable to wait for breakfast, but, 
paymg my bill, jumped into a hack and drove to the first 
station in time to make the train. 

Before La Grange was reached, I entered the baggage- 
car and told the baggage-master to pile the trunks all 
around me. I was thus completely hid, as snug as a bug 
in a rug. 

When La Grange was reached, there were signs of 
tumult about. Five of the Owen County gang were at the 
depot, and they boarded every train, and had been doing 
it for two days. 

A newsboy gave me away; and told them where I was 
secreted. They all then remained on board and kept a 
regular watch over me until Louisville was reached. 

The train moves slowly through the city. I quietly 
slipped off; not quick enough, however, for one of them 



2o6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

espied me, and, pulling his revolver, shot— not me, but 
himself. 

His companions all ran. 

He lay upon the ground bellowing like a cali", and said 
I had shot him. 

The police arrested me. 

Mr. Shadburne was the Chief of PoHce. I related to 
him the true facts of the case. 

" Release that man," he said. " I will be responsible 
for his appearance in the morning." 

Morning came, and the Owen County desperadoes were 
early at the court-house with a lawyer. 

They wanted to compromise for $500. 

*' No, sir, not for a cent." 

They dropped to $100. The lawyer wanted $50. I 
gave them $100, and they went off with their hard-earned 
stuff. 

BILL WOULD GAMBLE. 

One of Bill's most striking peculiarities was his love for 
gambling. He loved gambling for its own sake, just as 
the moralists love virtue for its own sake. No man that I 
ever came in contact with ever struck me as being so fond 
of gambling. I have seen him give parties two points in 
casino and seven-up, and they would play marked cards 
on him. On one occasion when we had a settlement there 
was $375 in small gold coin, which I told him to keep and 
we would fix it up at some other time. No ; he wouldn't 
have it that way. He wanted to play seven-up for it. This 
I positively declined, saying that when partners played 
together it sometimes broke friendship and gave rise to 
hard feelings. But he insisted until at last I played him. We 
cut for deal, and he dealt. Hearts were trumps. I stood, 
and made three to his nothing. I dealt ; he begged ; I gave 
him one, and made three more. Thus I was six to his one. 
He dealt, and I picked up the queen and stood, which was 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 207 

high. I went out, and refused to play any more. But Bill 
was bound to play with somebody, so he picked up a man 
and gave him two points in seven~up, and they kept at it 
all day, until Bill lost $i,ioo. 

NO GOOD AT SHORT CARDS. 

Bill couldn't play any short card game. Monte was his 
hold, and the gamblers knew it. I never knew Bill to play 
at a short card game that he did not quit loser, and I have 
known him to play as long as seventy hours at a sitting. 
One night we were on a boat that was putting off freight at 
the wharf boat that lay at the mouth of Red River. Bill 
was in nis element. He had a big pile of money up in 
front of him, and ^ large crowd intent on watching the 
game. Soon I noticed a fellow sitting at Bill's right who 
was fishing for one of the hundred-dollar bills, trying to 
coax it over to his side of the house. I waited patiently 
until he got it, then went around to him and said, " Is that 
the way you gamble where you live?" 

" I don't know what you mean," he said, still holding 
his hand over the stolen bill. I gave his hand a push, and 
there lay the bill, which I grabbed. Then turning to Bill, 
I said, " You would sit here and let these ducks steal all 
your money. Wont you never drop to anything ?" 

The fellow was on his feet in a minute, shouting, "That 
is my money. I took it out of my pocket and was waiting 
for a chance to bet it." 

" You lie ; you were trying to steal it." 

Three or four of his friends at that arose, and I knew 
that war was in sight ; so I slipped my big gun into my 
overcoat pocket, and expected h — 1. But just then some- 
body yelled " Monte !" and the mate coming up, the facts 
of the case were stated to him, and he said, "Everybody 
must keep quiet." Bill of course cleaned the crowd out, 
and reached the wharf-boat with a large roll of the good 
green stuff; but he did not keep it long, for Jack Arm- 



2oS FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

Strong, of Louisville, was lying there in wait for him to 
play casino at $50 a game. 

MONUMENTAL GALL. 

There are some men who, when they are caught once, 
like burned children ever after dread the fire. Others tliere 
are who have such overweening confidence in their own 
smartness that their lives are nothing but a series of losses. 
Canada Bill and myself were nearing Magnolia, about a 
hundred miles above New Orleans, when Bill opened out 
his three cards. It was not long before a crowd gathered 
about to witness the sport. One large man in particular 
watched the play as a hawk does a chicken. This 1 was 
not slow to perceive ; so turning to Bill, I said, " What'll 
you bet I can't turn the baby?" 

" $1 ,000 that no man can turn it." 

I pulled out a roll that looked like :^i,ooo, though it was 
not ; for we had been playing bank, and were nearly busted. 

Bill won, and I lost. Then he said, in his screechy 
voice, " By golly I you see I've got two cards to your one, 
and can win every time." 

The big fellow was getting terribly worked up, for he 
knew that the corner of the baby card was turned up. Then 
he commenced getting out his money, and I was soon by 
his side. 

" Can you guess it? " I innocently asked. " If you can, 
tell me, so I can get even." 

But he was too selfish, and proposed to win it all. He 
offered to bet $100, but Bill wouldn't have anything but a 
thousand-dollar bet. Up went the money quicker than you 
could say Jack Robinson. 

The result is easily foreshadowed. The man turned the 
wrong card. He made a grab, however, for the money ; 
but I was in a second between him and the stufi", so that 
Bill got there first. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 20g 

" There's going to be trouble, Bill," I whispered. " Get 
off." 

He lost no time in obeying. The train was just leaving 
the station. The fat man followed, and chased Bill around 
the cat. Bill jumped back ; so did the fat man. Then 
Bill slid off again, but the fat man was at his heels. This 
could not last long. Bill's slim build helped him in the 
emergency, and again he caught the train. The fat man 
was unable to, but the conductor backed the cars and took 
him aboard. 

" Where is the tramp cowboy that robbed me?' he ex- 
citedly demanded. 

" He jumped off as you got on." 

" I wouldn't mind the loss of the money," he said, " but 
the idea of being swindled out of it by such a cowboy look- 
ing kind of a tramp breaks me all up." 

Where was Bill ? In the sleeper was a smooth-faced 
young man who had taken off a cowboy suit of clothes, put 
on a bran new suit of black broadcloth, gold eye-glasses, 
clean-shaved face. This preacher-looking fellow soon 
came into the car where the big man and myself were talk- 
ing over the loss, and sat down near us. I was busy 
pumping the sucker to see if he had any more money. 

" Why, anybody can play that game," he said, and of 
course I remarked: '*The dealer though has every advan- 
tage, as he has two cards to your one. If I had some cards, 
I would show you how it is done." 

That was enough for the preacher-looking man, and, 
slipping back into the sleeper, he procured some cards and 
dropped them down into one of the seats near me. I saw 
them and picked them up, observing, " I believe these are 
the same cards." 

The sucker looked at them and declared that he believed 
they were. 

I began playing the cards, but the fat fellow said, " You 
are pretty good, but you can't handle them like the cowboy 
did." 
14 



2IO FORTY YEARS A GAMBI.ER 

*' It wants practice," I said. 

I practiced on, when up stepped the preacher-looking, 
gold-glassed individual, saying: "I'll bet you a dollar I 
can guess the card." 

"Oh, I don't want to bet with any boy preacher," I 
said. 

" I'm no boy preacher. I'm studying to become a 

priest." 

" You'd better keep that dollar ; that's my advice." 

I was only waiting for Bill to put a mark on the card, 
which he soon did while I went back to get a drink. As I 
came back they all began to laugh at me, and the big fellow 
said, " Any fool could tell the card the way you throw 
them." 

Then I pretended to get mad ; so I offered to bet $2,000 
that no man could turn the right card. 

The priest spoke up, " I'll bet you $200 in gold that I 
can do it." 

" Put it up," I replied. 

This made the sucker crazy, for he was so anxious to 
get even that he pulled out and counted down $860. But 
I would not bet less than $1,000. There was a little man 
standing near who offered to loan him the $140 to make 
up the $1,000, when Bill turned and said, " I'll bet you 
$500 that my friend, the big man, wins." 

Talk about monumental gall ; I thought then that call- 
ing the fat man his friend, who a few moments before had 
been chasing him around, ready to kill him, was about the 
grandest specimen of sublime impudence that I ever saw. 

The big fellow turned the card, and lost as usual, and 
the little man looked at me, then at the fat man, as much 
as to say, you two rascals are partners. He took the priest 
aside, who was no other than Canada Bill, and assured him 
that he was positive of this fact. I won the money, and 
there was no kick. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 211 



CLOSE CALLS. 

I never will forget the night that Canada Bill and my- 
self were on the Michigan Southern Road, where we had 
been working for some time, and finally shaken down 
a man for $1,200. He telegraphed ahead for a war- 
rant to arrest Canada Bill, and I knew that Bill would have 
to hustle, as the cars would be searched. I hurried him 
into the sleeper and found a top berth that was empty, while 
a lady occupied the lower. Her dress was laying m 
the top berth, and she was fast asleep in the lower one. 
" Bill, jump into this," I cried, holding up the garment. 

He refused at first, but as the emergenc}^ was desperate, 
at last consented, and, tying a handkerchief around his 
head, his face being as smooth as a baby's, made as fine a 
looking woman as you would want to see. 

Along came the officers with the conductor and lantern, 
and searched all the berths in the sleeper ; but as soon as 
they spied the two ladies in Jhe two berths, upper and 
lower, the}'^ apologized and hastily withdrew. When I was 
asked where Bill was, I informed everybody that he had 
gotten off", and I feared was seriously injured. Reaching 
Detroit early in the morning. Bill managed to escape from 
the cars unnoticed, and I got out at the depot as if nothing 
had happened. 

Another time, on the Missouri Pacific from Kansas City 
to St. Louis, Bill and I succeeded in beatmg a Jew out of a 
few hundred dollars. He was a gamey little hooked-nosed 
son of Abraham, and, like all the rest of his class, loved 
money as a duck does water. So when he was on the plat- 
form he drew a pistol from his hip pocket, and resolved in 
an instant to die, thinking, no doubt, it was preferable for 
a Jew to be dead, rather than penniless. 

Placing the muzzle to his mouth, he pulled the trigger. 
A flash, loud report, when all the passengers rushed out to 
see what had happened. The Jew lay on the platform 



212 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

bleeding at the njouth. We straightened him up, held over 
his head to spit out the blood, when out dropped the bullet. 
Two of his teeth were gone, 'which must have checked the 
speed of the bullet, as it had found lodgment in the rear 
of his mouth. Of course he didn't die, but he had a close 
call. 

Bill and I made a good deal of money one night going 
up on the cars from Jackson, Miss., to Vicksburg. The 
suckers began to kick, and I saw trouble ahead, so I told 
Bill to hustle into the sleeper, but he sat still. I went on 
into the smoking car. A large man grappled Bill, and, 
pulling a long bowie-knife, demanded every dollar he had 
won, and the watches. The conductor hurriedly called me, 
and grabbing my Betsy Jane, I rushed back just in time to 
knock one of the men senseless with the butt end of the 
weapon, which I drew on the rest and held them at bay. 
This was long enough to allow Bill a chance to reach the 
platform, pull the bell cord, and jump off. I was not long 
in following, and that, too, was too close a call to be styled 
pleasant. 

A EUCHRE HAND. 

One evening I played a game of euchre on the Great 
Republic with a sucker. I gave him a big hand, and told 
him I could euchre him. He offered to bet $ioo, and I bet 
him $500. Up went the money, when down came the clerk, 
who I knew would stop the game ; but quickly giving my 
hand to my partner, I rushed up and grabbed the clerk, 
good naturedly holding him until Bill had all the stuff taken. 
The clerk made a holy howl and a terrible kick, but I gave 
him the laugh, telling him that if he made me give up the 
money it would be taking the bread and meat out of my 
mouth. This amused him, and no more was said. 

I was playing in a game of poker at one time, and one 
of the party was a friend of mine. I saw I could win some 
big money if T could get my friend out of the game. I 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 213 

tried everj'- way I could to run him out, but he was game 
and would not run, so I at last ran him up a hand, and then 
broke him ; then he retired in good order. After getting 
him out I started in and made the balance of the party sick 
in less than no time. After the game broke up, I found my 
friend and asked him how much he lost. He told me. I 
handed him the amount, saying, *' I tried to get you out of 
the game without winning your money, but you would not 
go, so all I could do was to break you ; but I never try to 
beat a friend, so I want you to have all your money back." 

He thanked me very kindly, and said, " George, if you 
ever want a favor that is in my power to grant, do not hesi- 
tate to ask it of me, for I will be happy to grant it." 

The above is one of the many simijar circumstances that 
I have experienced during my forty years as a gambler. I 
always loved to play a social game with my friends, for a 
small limit, and I never took any advantage, unless it was 
for a joke, or to run a friend out, and then I would return 
all I had won. 

BILL'S PRESENT. 

My old friend and partner, Canada Bill, presented me 
with a very fine double-barreled shotgun, which I would 
often take with me when we were out on our trips. We 
were on the L. & N. Railroad one morning, and I had the 
gun with me. We had left our baggage in the ladies' car 
and were over in the smoker, when we saw a sucker. We 
went to work on him in the usual way, and it was not long 
until Bill had $400 of his money. I expected he would 
kick, from the way he was squirming around ; so I gave 
Bill the office to get off, and I went back in the ladies' car 
where we had left our baggage. Old Bill was some- 
times slow in getting off after he had won the money, and 
on this occasion he was again behind time. 

I had not been seated but a moment, when a brakeman 
came running in and told me my partner was in trouble. 



214 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



I jumped up, grabbed my shotgun, and started for the 
smoking-car ; and I did not get there any too soon, for the 
four-hundred-dollar sucker had Bill crouching in a seat, 
and was standing over him-with a big gun covering him. 
He had given Bill but two minutes to give up the money, 
and Bill had out his roll counting her out. I rushed up, 
struck the big fellow with the new gun on the side of the 
head and knocked him senseless. His big gun dropped 
on the floor. I picked it up and stuck it in my pocket. 
Bill lit out as soon as he could get out of his seat, and left 
me to look after the big fellow on the floor. With the as- 
sistance of some of the passengers I got hnn up, and found 
he was pretty badly hurt. I told him I was sorry I had 
hit him, but I thought he was going to kill the old fellow. 

He said, "I was only trying to scare him so he would 
give me back my money, as it was all I had. I could not 
have shot him if I had wanted to, as the pistol was not 
loaded." 

I pulled out the old thing, and sure enough there was 
not a load in it. I asked the fellow what business he was 
engaged in, and he told me he was a ship-carpenter. As 
that was my father's business, I felt very sorry for him, so 
I gave him $ioo and left the train at the next station. I 
learned from the brakeman that Bill had dropped off a few 
miles back, and I knew he would show up soon ; so I left 
the baggage at the depot, took my gun, and made for the 
woods. Robbins were plentiful, and in a short time I had 
eight nice birds for our breakfast. I went back to the 
station, where I found old Bill waiting for me. He was 
glad to see me and the birds, so he said, "George, Tm glad 
I bought that gun for you, for -it saved my life to-day; 
besides, we will have birds for breakfast." 

I replied, "Yes, Bill, that was the worst fellow you 
ever met. He would have killed you, sure, with that big 
gun." 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



GOOD LUCK. 



215 



Canada Bill and I went over from Canton, Miss., to 
Vicksburg at one time, to catch a boat for New Orleans. 
We met all the boys, and had a good time while waiting 
for a boat. The Meader boys (Jesse and Aud) had fitted 
up very fine faro rooms but a short time before our visit, 
and they were very glad to see us. Jesse wanted to buy 
all the wine in Vicksburg for me, for he knew I was a good 
producer. After he had expended about $50 for wine, he 
invited me to go down and see their rooms. He did not 
ask me to play. He said, "Just come down, George, and 
see our new place." I went down and took a survey of 
the house, and then I was introduced to the faro-table, 
where "Aud " was doing the honors. They knew well I 
could not see a bank in full blast without changing in. I 
told "Aud " to give me $100 worth of checks and I would 
try my luck in the new house. I got the checks, and they 
gave me a front seat so that I could bet all over the lay-out 
if I so desired. On the first deal I won out about $400. 
"Aud " shuffled up again with a great deal of care, and I 
started in again. I played three deals, and then looked 
up at Aud, saying, " This is too much of a see-saw, and I 
guess I will quit, for I don't want to miss that boat.'" I 
cashed in my checks, and I had won just $1,900. Some 
of the boys laughed, but Jesse and Aud looked as sober as 
Mose Wilson used to look when he was on the police bench 
saymg " Thirty, fifty." The Meader boys were game to 
the backbone, and although they could not laugh with the 
other boys when I made my first play in their new house, 
they did ask me to have some wine, and gave me a very 
pressing invitation to come and see them again ; for well 
they knew my luck would change, and then they could 
laugh as heartily as any of the boys. They were right, for 
if I had to-da}^ the money I have lost in Vicksburg alone, 
I could go into the furniture business and carry as large a 



2i6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

Stock, on a cash basis, as any house in this country. Bill 
and I caught the boat for New Orleans, and I was $1,900 
ahead. We made good money going down, but it was 
nearly all deposited in the faro bank before we left the city. 

GOVERNOR PINCHBACK. 

Great oaks from little acorns grow ; and you can never 
tell the eminent position to which the little bare-footed, rag^ 
ged boy may climb if he has good luck. There is Gov- 
ernor Pinchback, of Louisiana. He was my boy. I 
raised him, and trained him. I took him out of a steam- 
boat barber shop. I instructed him in the mysteries of 
card-playing, and he was an apt pupil. Never shall I for- 
get the night we left New Orleans on the steamer Dott,b- 
loon. There was a strong team of us — Tom Brown, Holly 
Chappell, and the boy Pinch. We sent Pinch and staked 
him to open a gam.e of chuck-a-luck with the niggers oa 
deck, while we opened up monte in the cabin. The run 
of luck that evening was something grand to behold. I 
do not think there was a solitary man on the boat that did 
not drop around in the course of the evenmg and lose his 
bundle. When about thirty miles from New Orleans a 
heavy fog overtook us, and it was our purpose to get off" 
and walk about six miles to Kennersville, where we could 
take the cars to the city. 

Pinchback got our valises together, and a start was 
made. A drizzling rain was falling, and the darkness was 
so great that one could not see his hand before his face. 
Each of us grabbed a valise except Pinch, who carried 
along the faro tools. The walking was so slippery that we 
were in the mud about every ten steps, and poor Pinch he 
groaned under the load that he carried. At last he broke 
out: 

"Tell you what it is, Master Devol, Til be dumbed if 
this aint rough on Pinch. Ise going to do better than this 
toting along old faro tools." 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



217 



*♦ What's that, Pinch? What you going to do?" 

" Ise going to get into that good old Legislature ; and 
I'll make Rome howl if I get there." 

Of course I thought at the time that this was all bravado 
and brag ; but the boy was in earnest, and sure enough he 
got into the Legislature, became Lieutenant-Governor, and 
by the death of the Governor he slipped into the guberna- 
torial chair, and at last crawled into the United States 
Senate. 

He did me a good turn when he got up in the world, 
and true and high honor did not dim the kindly feeling he 
had for me. I had been playing on the Jackson Railroad, 
and my luck had been good ; but I was satisfied, from cer- 
tain ominous signs, that a big kick was brewing. To avoid 
trouble I got off the train a few miles before reaching the 
city, and had been in town a day or two when the Chief 
of Police sent for me. 

Of course I responded, when he told me, " Devol, you 
have beat one of the Police Commissioners out of $800, 
and he says you shant live in the city." 

" I have lived in the city too many years to be run out 
by any one man." 

Thinking it best to have this matter settled, I went to 
my old friend Bush, and we took a hack and drove to the 
executive mansion. Pinchback, my old boy, was Gov- 
ernor then ; and though it was late at night, he insisted on 
calling us in, woke up all the servants, and set out a royal 
lunch, with all sorts of liquors, and we had a high old time. 
"Go to bed, George," he said, " and don't giva yourself 
any uneasiness. I'll settle that fellow in the morning." 

That was the end of the $800 Police Commissioner. 

A GOOD STAKEHOLDER. 

Sherman Thurston, my old friend, is dead. He has 
passed in his checks, shuffled his last cards, dealt his final 
lay-out, and been gathered to the gods. He was an honor- 
able, great-hearted man, and I can recall the time when no 



2i8 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

living man could do him up in a rough-and-tumble fight. 
Cow-boy Tripp was once doing the playing for me on the 
Missouri Pacific Railroad ; and as I saw Sherman, I said 

to him : 

" See that conductor? I've got a little game going on 
here, and a first-class sucker in tow. Now the conductor 
is watching us very closely, and as soon as he sees him put 
up his money, he will walk up and stop the game. What 
I want you to do is to go and sit alongside of him, and en- 
tertain him until the lawful proceedings are over." 

Tripp opened up the game, and the sucker put up his 
stuff; and sure enough the conductor made a rush to stop 
the game. But Sherman grabbed him by the waist and 
held him as you would a baby, and kept on talking all the 
time, telling him not to have an/ fuss, that he didn't want 
to see any trouble, etc. 

Sherman Thurston was the best stakeholder in Amer- 
ica. He was death to coat-tail pullers. He had a way of 
acting as if he was in a terrible passion, and coming down 
on their feet with a stamp that made them lie quiet. 

Sherman was a man of hard sense and native resources 
that rendered him ready for any emergency. Once when 
we had won some money from a man, he began to raise a 
fuss and carry on like one bereft of reason. Sherman 
humored him. He locked him up in the car, and told 
everybody that he was a lunatic that he was removing to 
the asylum — to keep away from him, as he was dangerous 
and entirely irresponsible. Then when the fellow got too 
noisy, Sherman went and said, " See here, old fellow, you 
had better keep still, for gambling is a penitentiary offense 
in this State, and you are just as much implicated as the 
man who won your money." 

That settled it, and the man quieted down as mild as a 
pet lamb. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



SHE KISSED ME. 



219 



A woman's heart-rending shriek rang through the cabin 
of the steamer Hunisville one afternoon, as she lay taking 
in wood. I was standing on the guards watching the 
jolly, happy negroes as they seized the huge sticks and 
ran to the music of their camp-meeting hymns and 
piled it near the engine. Rushing back, I saw that a 
little girl had fallen overboard into the water. Losing 
no time, I jumped overboard and got ashore with the 
little one. When I carried her, dripping and wet, to her 
parents, who stood on the gang-plank, the mother caught 
the baby in her arms and nearly smothered her with 
kisses ; and my turn came next, for she began to hug 
and kiss me, pouring forth her gratitude ; but I pushed 
her away, as I did not want her husband to see her kis^ 
me. The little one was taken into the ladies' cabin and 
dry clothes put on her, and the father came down and 
wanted to recompense me, but I would not have it, for I 
said, " I have only done what I would for any child that 
was drowning." Years afterwards I met the young lady 
and her father traveling on one of the New Orleans pack- 
ets. She had grown to be a beautiful young lady, but her 
mother had been dead many years. 

THE TRICK KNIFE. 

There are a great many devices, some of which are 
very old, some a little more modern, and some new ones 
are being manufactured every day, to catch the uninitiated, 
all of which are more or less successful — for there are just 
as many suckers to-da}'^ as there were forty years ago. 

I remember seeing a knife that was so constructed that 
the blade could not be opened without pressing upon 
springs. It had one spring that if pressed would allow the 
blade to open ; and there was another spring that would 
lock the first one so that it would not work, and when the 



220 FORTY YEARS A GAMBI.ER 

second spring was used, no one could open the blade with 
the first spring alone. Like most tricks, this knife racket 
took two persons to work it successfully. The one with the 
knife would be dressed up like a countryman, and he would 
go up to a person who he thought could be played for a 
sucker, and enter into conversation with him. Finally he 
would show the knife, and explain how to open the blade 
when locked with but one spring. 

About this time the capper (a well dressed man) would 
come up, and the country looking fellow that owned the 
knife v»rould say to the sucker, " There comes a fellow ; say 
nothing to him about the spring, and we will win some 
money." 

The capper would take the knife and try to open it, 
then he would say, "That is a dummy ; it was not made to 
open." 

The owner of the knife would then say, "Yes, it can 
be opened." 

Then the nice man would try it again, and finally he 
would offer to bet that no man could open the knife in ten 
or fifteen minutes. The sucker would take him up ; and 
as he did not know anything about the second spring, of 
course he lost his money. 

I did not have any use for such contrivances, as old 
monte was good enough for me ; but I always tried to keep 
posted on all the tricks and schemes, so as to be able to 
down the schemers at their own games. 

Bill and I went on board the steamer Bart Able, bound 
for New Orleans, late one night. I was tired and sleepy, 
so I told Bill I would go to bed. He said he would take a 
smoke, and then join me. I had not been in bed but a 
few moments, when a black boy called me and said that 
my partner was in trouble in the barber shop. I was up 
and into my pants in a moment. I grabbed old Betsy Jane 
and started. When I arrived at the shop door, I saw two 
fellows standing over Bill ; one had a big pocket-knife, the 
other had a poker. I did not stop to inquire what the 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 221 

trouble was about, but rushed iu, struck the fellow with the 
knife, and as the fellow with the poker started to run I let 
him have one, and they both measured their lengths on the 
floor. I turned to ask Bill what the d — 1 the fellows were 
after him for, when they both jumped up and lit out. Bill 
said: 

"Well, George, I'll tell you. Them fellows took me 
for a sucker, and bet me $io that I couldn't open a big 
knife that they had ; but, George, I knew how to open her 
just as well as they did, and I won their money. They 
wanted me to give it up ; but when I saw the black boy 
start after you, I thought I would hold on until you came, 
then I knew they would get left — didn't I, George?" 

" Yes, Bill ; you bet you wont have to give up when I'm 
around.'' 

" George, them fellows took me for a sucker. Do I look 
like a sucker?" 

" No, Bill ; you look like a nice, smart counter-hopper," 
I replied. 

Bill laughed and said, "George, I'm $io better off than 
I would have been if you had not got here just in time ; 
let's take somethmg and then go to bed." 

The fellow dropped his big knife, which we found on 
the floor; so that he was out $io and his knife by lack- 
ling — not a sucker, but one of the oldest and best sucker- 
catchers in the country. 

TWO-FORTY ON THE SHELL ROAD. 

During the war, after Ben Butler took possession of 
New Orleans, the city was always full of Union officers 
and soldiers. Money was very plentiful, and of course 
everything was lively. I was running the race-course and 
gambling games out at the lake, and was making big 
money. I had nineteen good horses. Some were trotters, 
some pacers, and some runners. I would drive out and in 
over the shell road, which at that time was one of the finest 



222 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

drives in this country. I did not allow any one to have a 
faster horse than myseli, and generally drove a pacer, as 
the road was very hard, and would stove up a trotter in a 
short time. I had a very pretty bay mare that could pace 
in 2 : 30 everyday in the week, and she had beaten fourteen 
other horses at the State Fair in 2 : 26^. I drove " Emma 
Devol " (the bay mare) most of the time. I had a big 
black horse called the "Duke of Orleans," which was 
faster than "Emma Devol," but I hardly ever drove him 
on the shell road, as I kept him for the race-track. 

I was driving the "Duke" out the road one evening, 
when I overtook a big fellow by the name of Jim Dueane, 
who was a lieutenant of police at that time. He was a 
good, clever fellow when sober, but very quarrelsome when 
drunk. He was driving a good horse, and I could see he 
was under the influence of liquor. He asked me where I 
got the plug I was driving, for he did not recognize the 
" Duke." I told him it was an old fellow I had bought 
for $50 to drive on the road, as I did not want to stove up 
my race-horses. We were about two miles from the lake, 
when he offered to bet me a bottle of wine he could beat 
me to the lake. I took him up, and we started. I let him 
get a little ahead, so I could see how his horse moved. 

We were going along in this way for the first mile, 
when he looked back and said, "Come on, Devol, or you 
will have to pay for the wine." 

I replied, " All right, I will do it, as I do not want to 
lose the bet." 

I gave "Duke" the word, and he got right down to 
business and passed Dueane so quick that he did not know 
what to make of the;old plug. After I got about 100 feet 
ahead of him, I looked back and told him to come on or 
he would have to pay for the wine. He tried very hard to 
catch me, but it was no use, as " Duke " was not that kind 
of a horse. 

I was at the lake, out of my wagon, and had the 
blanket on the *' Duke of Orleans," when Dueane drove 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 223 

up. I could see that he was not in good humor. He got 
out and hitched his horse, and then we walked over to the 
hotel to get the bottle of wine. I began laughing at him, 
and wanted to know what he thought of the " Duke" as 
a $50 plug, when he let drive at me. I ducked my head, 
and he >it it a pretty hard lick. I started for him, but 
some of the officers jumped in between us and put a stop 
to the fight, and in a little while he apologized and we were 
drinking together. I could have whipped him, for I was 
in my prime at that time ; but I was glad they separated 
us, as I did not want to have any trouble with the police. 

While we were drinking and talking about the race, a 
great big colonel of a New York regiment, who was pretty 
drunk, spoke up and said, " I can whip any man that will 
do anything to Dueane." 

I knew he had reference to me ; but the room was full 
of shoulder-strapped fellows, and I did not want any of 
his chicken pie just then, so I paid no attention to his re- 
marks. He kept on with his abuse, and I was just itching 
to get at him, but knew I would not stand a fair show 
unless some of my friends should drop in, which I expected 
they would do before long, as it was a little early for the 
town boys. 

In a short time a friend of mine, by the name of Joe 
Summers, and a crowd of New Orleans boys came in. 
Then I kntw I would have a fair show, so I walked up to 
the big colonel and said, " You are a big lubber, and can't 
fight just a Httle bit." 

Up went his hands, but before he could lead off I gave 
him one under the chin, and he measured his length on the 
floor. My friends were all around us in an instant, and 
Joe Summers said that it should be a fair fight. I was 
ready to give him my head when he got up, but the big 
lubber said, " That will do." 

In ten minutes after I knocked him down we were 
drinking wine together, and no one would have thought 
we ever had a difficulty. He was so big that he thought 



224 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



he could bluff me ; but he did not know that I was about 
the worst man in that part of the country at that time to 
bluff at any game, more especially at the game of fight — 
for I would rather have fought than not, and I did not think 
there \yas a man living in those days that could whip me in 
a rough-and-tumble. 

We had several bottles of wine on the strength of our 
little misunderstanding. The result was, we were all feel- 
ing pretty good and liberal, and I do believe we opened 
200 bottles of wine before 2 o'clock. 

There were about seventy-five teams hitched around the 
hotel, and I knew when their owners started home they 
would get to racing on the shell road, and some of the 
horses and buggies would get hurt ; so I told a stable-boy 
to put my horse up, and I would wait until morning. A 
few of the others did the same thing, but the balance 
started, and some of them were so drunk that they could 
not see the road, although it was as white as marble. The 
next morning after I had eaten my breakfast I had my team 
brought out, and started for the city. The wine of the 
night previous had done its work, for I saw seven buggies, 
or parts of them, strewn along the road. Dueane had 
run into the toll-gate, and came near killing himself and 
his horse. 

Wine is a great worker when one gets too much of it 
inside. It gave employment to the buggy-makers, and put 
me to bed on that occasion ; and I was glad of it when I 
saw the wrecks it had made of my boon companions of the 
night before. 

A MILE DASH. 

About the time referred to in the preceding story, the 
livery business was very good in New Orleans, and some 
of the livery-men kept quite fast horses, which they would 
let out to persons they knew would not abuse them. .My 
old friend Dick Barnum was running a stable in those 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 225 

days, and is in the same business to-day ; but he is getting 
old now, Hke myself, and I suppose he goes to church reg- 
ularly ever Sunday instead of going out to the rare-track, 
as he and I did twenty-five years ago. 

I was at Dick's stable one day when he was feeling 
pretty good, and he began bragging on a horse that he had, 
and which he called "Tom Parker." I let him blow for 
Some time, when I said to him : 

"Dick, you don t weigh more than 140 pounds, and i 
weigh over 200. I'll tell you what I will do. I will hitch 
my black horse to a skeleton wagon and put on a bag of 
sand weighing 150 pounds. You can hitch Tom to a sulky 
and we will drive our own horses, and I will bet you $250 
that I can beat you one dash of a mile aroimd the track." 

He said, '' Put her up." 

We put up the money in Johnnie Hawkins' hands, and 
agreed to pace that afternoon. The news of the race 
spread rapidly, and there was a large crowd at the course 
to see the sport. Henry Foley was in the judge's stand, 
and we were all ready. The bets were about even, although 
my horse was handicapped with four wheels to Dick's two- 
wheeled sulky, and besides I had 350 pounds to his 140. 
We tossed up for the pole, and Dick won. We went up 
the stretch and came down for the tap, but Dick wanted 
the best of it, and was about ten lengths ahead when he 
went under the wire. I nodded to Henry, so he let us go. 
Dick went flying from the start, and I eased my horse 
around the first turn, so that when I got straightened up on 
the back stretch Dick was 100 yards ahead. The betting 
was then $100 to $5 in favor of Dick, as they all thought 
that I could never close up that big gap. I gave old 
" Duke " one cut across the back, and he went down that 
stretch like a race-horse, sure enough. We came around 
the next turn, and when I got square into the home stretch 
I gave the horse a war-whoop, and we went past Dick so 
fast that he thought he was tied to the fence. I went 
under the wire about ten lengths ahead of Dick, and the 
15 



226 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

fellows that had taken some of the $ioo to $5 bets raised 
the yell and kept it up until you would have thought they 
were a pack of wild Indians. My friend Johnnie Hawkins 
took all the bets that he could get in that short time. 

Dick did not blow about " Tom Parker " anj^ more after 
that, and when I would ask him if he wanted another race, 
he would say, " No, George ; I would rather take a drink ;" 
and that was about all I was ever able to get out of him. 
I hope to see the old fellow alive and happy the next time 
I visit New Orleans ; for he is a good, clever fellow, and I 
hope he will live as long as I do — and I expect to live for- 



ever. 



MULE THIEVES. 

During the time I was running the race-course and my 
games at the lake I was taken down with the yellow fever, 
and was confined to my bed for about twenty days. I was 
about well, and had been sitting up for a few days, when 
my horse-trainer, and a friend of mine by the name of 
George Leonard, called to see me ; and as I was feeling so 
much better, they wanted me to go out to the track and 
time one. of my pacing horses with a running mate. So I 
muffled myself up in a big overcoat and went out. I sat in 
the buggy and held the watch, but when they came to ask 
me what time had been made, I was lying in the bottom 
of the buggy. They took me back to my room, and I was 
just as sick as I had been any time during the fever. I 
had the best physician in New Orleans, and he said, after 
I was out of danger, that if it had not been for mj' iron 
constitution he could not have pulled me through. I felt 
the effects of my last attack with yellow-jack for two years 
afterward, and I am not afraid of it to-day. 

A short time after getting well of the fever, I was at the 
livery stable early one morning where I kept some of my 
horses. The stable was owned by my friends William and 
George Leonard, and they were large dealers in horses 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 227 

and mules. When I arrived the boys were red-hot, for 
they had sold twenty head of good mules to some fellows 
the evening before, and had allowed them to put the mules 
on board of a little boat lying at the landing, on the prom- 
ise that they would pay the money as soon as the bank 
opened tl e next day. The boys had been down to the 
landing, and had found that the boat and males were gone. 
They wanted me to go with them and catch the thieves, so 
we armed ourselves with pistols and double-barreled shot- 
guns, took a fast packet, and started. About forty miles 
above the city we saw the little boat lying at the levee, but 
as we passed, it could be seen that there were no mules on 
board. We went up about a mile, and then got off and 
started back a-foot. When we got near the little boat, we 
saw the mules in a pasture. We " let" down the fence and 
> started to drive them out, when the fellows saw us and 
came off to stop us. I told the boys to take the mules and 
I would take care of the d -d thieves. They were com- 
ing with their guns out. I pulled my shotgun down on 
them and told them to halt, which they did. When the 
boys got the mules on the run up the levee, I followed them, 
and the thieves followed me. They ran us up into a little 
town, when they got out a replevy and took the mules. 
We had a trial and won the case, so we put our mules on a 
boat and were soon back in New Orleans. The Leonard 
boys get the money now before they let the stock go aboard 
a boat. 

AN HONORABLE MAN. 

Some men are the soul of honor, and if they lose a bet 
will walk right up to the captain's office and settle ; while 
others are fast enough to make bets, take chances, and all 
that sort of thing, but when it comes to paying their losses, 
if there is a hole to crawl out of, they are the very men to 
do it. 

Coming out of New Orleans one time on the steamer 



2 28 KOR'A' YliAKS A GAMBLKR 

Peerless, I was open for business, waiting for somebody 
lo try his luck, when, looking around, I espied one of the 
leading dry goods merchants of the Crescent City, whose 
place of business was on Canal Street. He asked me the 
kind of game I was running, and I explained it to him, 
when my capper came along, and, looking on, made a bet 
for the drinks that he could turn the jack. The capper 
won, and we had the drinks all around, when he took the 
jack and turned up a corner, taking care to let the mer- 
chant see what he had done. Then he began bantering 
me to bet with him. I persisted that_ I had the best of it, 
as I had two chances to his one, and was dead sure to win 
two out of three times. The merchant had often seen me 
playing short cards and rouge et noir. We kept up a run- 
ning conversation for some time, till at last I told him that 
1 had never run a game I would not bet on, except this 
one. Then the capper offered to wager $ioo that he could 
turn the right card. 

"Put up your money," was all I said, and I iianded 
mine to the merchant. 

Sure enough, he turned the right card, and I uncon- 
cernedly remarked, " Well, you got her." 

Then the merchant wanted to bet me $ioo that he 
could turn the right card, when I replied : 

" I will make just one bet with you for $500." 

He began going through his pockets, and only found 
$425 ; so I said : 

" ril back out, as I do not know much about the game, 
anyhow ; but if there is any other game you want to bet 
on, why, I am your man." Continuing, I said: "Any 
other game but this one, I will bet $10,000 on. I pride 
myself on betting as big as an3'body." 

"'- This is the first time I ever knew of your backing 
out," replied the merchant. 

The capper then offered to bet $500, and began to abuse 
me. He put up his money, guessed the right card, and of 
course won. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



229 



Things were now getting exciting, and my merchant 
friend was very warm under the collar, and wanted to bet 
me the $425 ; but I wouldn't have it, and said in a majestic 
manner : 

"No, sir; nothing less than a cool thousand, as I am 
now a big loser." 

The capper offered to loan the merchant some money to 
make up the balance, but I would not allow it. At last he 
put up his watch and diamond .pin, and went to turn the 
jack. Of course he lost. Afterwards he came to me and 
gave me a check for $1,000, and I returned him his jew- 
elry and money. We stopped for half an hour at one of 
the landings, and he slipped off and countermanded the 
payment of the check by telegraph. When I presented the 
check at the bank I was shown the dispatch, and to this 
day the check has never been paid, though the merchant 
still does business on Canal Street. He was an honorable, 
high-toned merchant. 

MY PARTNER WON. 

Dunlap and I got on the steamer J-^arag'oad one evening 
at Baton Rouge, and seeing no one on board that I though 
was of any particular service to me, I got a bottle of wine 
and a good cigar and was sitting in the hall, when a coal 
merchant whom I knew very well in Baton Rouge came 
along, and seeing me said : 

" Devol, this is rather a slim trip for your business." 

Laughingly I replied, "Yes." 

" But that don't hinder us from taking a drink together, 
does it ?" 

" I have just had one, thank you." 

He insisted, and I did not hang back ; so, after smoking, 
we sat down near the bar, when he remarked that this was 
the first boat he ever was on where they didn't have a 
game of poker. I thought myself it was something 
strange, as in those days evervbody played cards. At last 



2^0 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLKR 

we got to throwing for the drinks, when he finally re- 
marked that if there were one or two more around we 
might have a game of poker. Though I said I didn't care 
to play, as I was sleepy, yet he persisted. Along came 
Dunlap, whom he did not know, and I asked him if he 
ever played poker. He replied a little, when he was at 
home in Illinois. 

"Come on, then, and take a drink," said the coal man. 

I gave Dunlap the wink, and excusing himself for a 
moment he went to his room, and procuring a pack of 
marked cards gave them to the barkeeper. When he came 
in, the coal man at once began : 

*' Sit down, and we'll make up a game." 

Then Dunlap asked the barkeeper for some cards, and 
of course the marked pack was handed out. It was then 
half-past 12 o'clock. We started m at a $20 limit, and 
played until the table was needed for breakfast. The coal 
man and myself were both losers. He said he lost $2,300. 
I lost $900, but as I lost it to my partner, I was not broken- 
hearted. 

HAUNTED. 

One night, anxious to reach New Orleans, I took a 
stern-wheel boat out of Wichita ; and as it was late, the 
clerk said the only berth he could give me was in a state- 
room with another man. I crawled into the top berth, and 
towards morning I was awakened by a noise beneath me. 
Carefully looking over the berth, I spied the occupant of 
the lower berth with a long Colt's navy revolver in his 
hand. His hair was disheveled, and his eye was wild, 
while his actions indicated that he was hunting for some- 
body. I lay very quiet, however, thinking that he was 
either a victim of delirium tremens or a lunatic. At last 
he arose and opened the door and went into the cabin, 
the only, occupants of which were the porter and the 
watchman. They lost no lime in leaving, when they saw 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 33 1 

a man clad only in a night-shirt and drawers, with a drawn 
revolver in his hand. 

I arose and dressed, as I had had enough of such a 
room-mate ; and on telling the clerk of the facts, he said : 

" That's strange, for I knew the man very well. He 
never drinks, but he has killed three men." 

That settled it with me. He was haunted by the ghosts 
of his murdered victims. 

McCOOLE AND COBURN. 

When the McCoole and Coburn fight came on, I left 
New Orleans for the purpose of witnessing the sport. On 
reaching Cincinnati, John Franklin invited me to go over 
to Latonia Springs and see Coburn. I did so, and spent a 
pleasant afternoon with him. He invited me to come over 
and keep him company ; and as I thought I could turn an 
honest penny as well as have a little recreation, I packed 
up my faro tools and went into the dark and bloody ground 
back of Covington. When any strangers came along, I 
opened up and caught all that was in sight. 

As the time for the fight drew near, a number of Co- 
burn's friends came on from New York. They were glad 
to see him in such good heart and spirits. They came 
with a good deal of money to back him up ; and as the 
boys had to do something to while away the weary hours, 
Joe introduced them to my partner, saying that he was a 
New Orleans gentleman who had come on to *aid me in 
mone}^ matters. Joe called him a planter, and the New 
Yorkers were so pleased with him that they invited him 
into a game of poker. The result was that he did them up 
for a few hundred, and one of the party, who was an old 
faro dealer, secured a few of the cards, examined them in 
another room, and coming back, observed : 

" Count me out of this game. I don't want any more 
of it." 

That broke things all up ; and the next day they began 



232 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



on Coburn and gave him a terrible cursing for steering 
them against such a game as that, when they came out 
with good intentions to back him in the fight. They never 
said anything, however, to Hoy, as they knew he was 
always looking for the best of every game, and was as 
ready to fleece a friend as a foe. 

When we were going down to Cold Spring, I opened 
up on the cars and won a little money. Just then a man 
stepped up and began to get out his money, when Elliott 
and his gang rushed in, picked up the fellow, and threw 
him up against the top cf the car. When he came down 
he didn't have a cent. I was amused 1o see him hunt 
around for his monev. 

When we reached the ground I opened out, having a 
negro to hold the stand for me. At last, as the crowd 
began to rush for the ring,*I told Hoy that I would go and 
see the fun ; so I handed Hoy all my money except a lot 
of broken bank-notes that I had. This I rolled in a large 
wad and placed conspicuously in a side coat pocket. I 
noticed, as I edged close up to the ring, that I was closely 
eyed by the thieves, and it was not long before the pocket- 
book disappeared. Then I made a terrible squeal, and 
when the reporters came around I gave out that I had been 
robbed of $3,500. The next day the papers all had an 
account of the robbery of Mr, Devol, of New Orleans. 
Hazen at last found my pocket-book, which was worth more 
than the money it contained, and had a good advertisement 
free. 

SALTED DOWN. 

If the old saying, " Every man has his price," be true, 
then every man can be caught on some scheme or trick. 
There are persons who have never made a bet of any kind 
in their lives, that would do so if they saw something that 
they knew to be a sure winner. Then there are others 
who will bet on many things, but they pride themselves on 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



233 



being too smart to bet on any man's trick ; and the more 
they see others doing so, the more sanguine they are that 
no one could ever catch them with chaff. I have met many 
of the latter class, and always tried to down them. They, 
of course, would not bite at the monte bait, for it was too 
stale for them ; so I would study sometimes for hours how 
to take the conceit out of them. 

I remember being on board the steamer Grand Duke, 
coming out of New Orleans, at one time just after the 
Mardi Gras Festival. The boat was crowded with passen- 
gers, and we were having a very lively game of monte, 
when a fellow from the Red River country, named Picket, 
came up to the table and began pulling coat-tails. He was 
one of those smart Alecks who knew all the tricks (or at 
least he thought he did), and he imagined that it was his 
especial duty to warn others of their danger. If he could 
not stop them with a tail pull, he would tell them not to bet, 
as I was a regular gambler and would win their money 
sure when they thought the sure thing was in their favor; 
and some of them would not heed his warning, but put 
down their money, and of course lose it. 

I put up with Picket's interference for some time, and 
then I put up m.y cards, resolving to down the Red River 
man if it lay in my power. I invited all hands to join me 
in a drink, and then excused myself, saying : 

" I'm suffering with the toothache, and will go to my 



room." 



In a short time I returned and took a seat in the hall 
near the stove, as it was quite chilly. Mr. Picket and a 
number of other gentlemen were seated around, and we 
soon got to telling stories. My tooth ached so badly 
that I could not enjoy the stories, and was constantly com- 
plaining of the pain. A great many remedies were sug- 
gested, but they could not be had on the boat. Finally 
the barkeeper recommended hot salt held on the side of 
the face. I asked him if he had any. He said no, but I 
could get it in the pantry. I got up and went for the salt. 



234 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBIvER 



I returned in a short time with a package of salt about the 
size of a goose egg, which was twisted up in a piece of 
paper. I put it on the stove, and when it got hot I held it 
to ray face until it cooled oft', then I put it back on the 
stove. 

While the salt was getting hot a second time, I went to 
my room to get something. The barkeeper said to the 
crowd : 

" Let's have some fun with Devol." 
So saying, he opened the package, threw out the salt, 
and filled up the paper with ashes. I came back, picked 
up my salt, and held it to my face. Picket asked me if it 
was doing my tooth any good. I told him I thought it 
was. Then they all laughed at the idea of hot salt being 
good for the toothache, and Picket said : 

" Devol, do you know that when salt gets hot it will 
turn into ashes?" 

"No, I don't. What do you take me for? You must 
have been drinking," I replied. 

They all laughed again, and Picket spoke up, saying: 
" I don't believe you have any salt in that paper." 
I set the package on the stove again, and replied : 

"You must take me for a d d fool, sure enough; 

but you don't look like you had any more sense than the 
law allows. I got that salt out of the salt-bag, and I tasted 
it before I wrapped it up, and I know it is salt, and that 
settles it." 

" But, Devol, salt does turn to ashes when it is hot ; 
and I will bet you the drinks for the crowd that there is no 
salt in that paper on the stove." 

Then they had another big laugh at my expense, and I 
got mad. I jumped up and said : 

" I will bet you $500 that there is nothing in that paper 
but salt." 

Picket jumped up also, saying : 

"I will just go you once, anyway." 

I put up my $50f^ with the barkeeper ; but Picket did 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI. 235 

not have but $350, and he wanted to bet that. I told him 
he could back out, but I would not bet less than what I had 
up. Then he put up his watch and chain for the other 
$150. One of the men that had been enjoying the fun, 
said ; 

" I will bet you $100 that Mr. Picket wins the money." 

I replied, " I will not bet less than $500." 

Then Picket said, " He wants to bluff you out; but he 
can't bluff me worth a cent." 

So the man put up his $500, and I covered it. Every- 
body was excited, and some of my friends who had seen 
the trick that was being played on me told me not to bet ; 
but I was mad, and would not listen to them. 

When all was ready, the package was taken off the 
stove and handed to the barkeeper. He untwisted the 
paper and spread it out on the counter, and in it was as 
nice fine Vvfhite — salt as you ever saw in your life. 

The barkeeper tasted some of it, just as I did when I 
put up the two papers just alike, and then handed me over 
the money and Mr. Picket's watch and chain. 

Mr. "Red River" took a large pinch of the bait, and 
it (or the loss of his money and watch) came near strang- 
ling him. He did not entirely recover from the effect 
while he remained on the boat ; for every time he was well 
enough to come out of his room, some one would say 
" Salt," and that would make him sick again. 

I have caught a great many suckers in my time, but 
Mr. Picket was the first one I ever salted down. 

THE ARKANSAS KILLERS. 

For many years I almost lived on board the packets. 
I felt more at home on any of the Mississippi steamboats 
than I did on land in any city or town in the United States. 
I had friends wherever I went, and I knew every officer 
and many of the crew on nearly every boat that ran the 
river. While on water, I did not fear any man or set of 
men ; but there were localities on land along the Mississippi 



236 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

River that no man could hold his own with the rough 
element that lived around them. So I always gave such 
places a wide berth. 

Helena and Napoleon, Ark., were two towns where it 
was not safe for any man to do the bluff act, for they would 
kill him just to see him kick. I won some money from 
one of Helena's killers at one time on board a steamer, and 
he set up a big kick ; but as he was alone, he was like all 
men of his class — a coward. I well knew if he caught mc 
on his ground I would get the worst of it, so I resolved 
never to give him a chance; but one evening I was com- 
pelled to get off at Helena, as things had gotten a little 
too warm for me on board the boat, and I thought I would 
run the risk of the killers rather than give up the money I 
had won at that time. I went up to the hotel to get my 
supper and wait for another boat, and one of the first men 
I met was the fellow I h;id beaten out of his money. I 
knew there would be trouble, so I put Betsy Jane in a 
handy place, resolving to use her for what she was worth 
if the killers got after me. I did not leave the hotel until 
the boat arrived ; and just about the time I was starting 
out, the clerk told me that some of the gamblers had beaten 
one of the worst men in the country on a boat, and he was 
down at the landing with a crowd of his roughs, waiting 
to do him up. 

There was a lot of persons waiting for the same boat, 
among them some gamblers. I told the clerk to send for 
a carriage, and I would not go down until just as the boat 
was about to leave. All the others left the hotel and 
started for the landing before the boat came in. The kill- 
ers jumped on to the poor gamblers, supposing of course 
tbat I was among them. They beat them up fearfully, and 
came near killing one of them. During the excitement I 
was driven to the plank and jumped out, and was on board 
before any one recognized me. When the killers learned 
that I had given them the slip, they were determined to 
board the boat and get me ; but the mate got his crew on 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 237 

the guards and would not let any of them on board. The 
boat backed out at once, and I was again at home among 
my friends ; and you can bet I was glad of it, for I think 
that was one of my close calls. 

CHEAP JEWELRY. 

Before the war, there was hardly a boat of any size that 
plied up and down the Mississippi and its tributaries that 
did not count among its travelers or passengers some ped- 
dler with his pack. For the most part, his stock in trade 
consisted of cheap jewelry, gilded sleeve-buttons, galvan- 
ized watches, plated chains, various notions and unassort- 
able knick-knacks. Sometimes these peddlers carried along 
a wheel, and had the things marked with numbers corre- 
sponding to those on the wheel. The charge was a dollar 
a spin, and at whatever number the wheel stopped, the ar- 
ticle corresponding belonged to the investor in the game. 

Captain Dix was then in command of the Hiawatha^ 
a packet running from New Orleans to St. Louis. One 
evening Captain Dix said : 

"George, I have got one of those infernal wheel ped- 
dling chaps aboard, and he has been annoying the life out 
of me. I've driven him out of the cabin, and he has taken 
refuge in the barber shop. I wish you could take him in." 

Strolling down toyvards the bai'ber shop, I caught a 
glimpse of the fellow ; and being satisfied that he did not 
know me, I watched his game for some time, and then ran 
against it $5 worth. 

"That's a heap fairer game than I lost $1,000 at," I 
said to the owner. 

"What game was that ?" he curiously asked. 

*' The fellow called it Rocky Mountain euchre. I'll go 
and get you some of the tickets, and show everybody how 
the fellow chiseled me out of my money." 

" Oh, that's three-card monte," said the wheel man. 

Alexander was along with me ; so I began throwing the 



238 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

cards around awkwardly, when my partner stepped up to 
the table and began guessing for fun. Finally he bent 
one of the corners and showed it to the wheelman, whisper- 
ing to him . 

"Let's have a little fun out of the old fellow." 

Aleck told me to mix 'em up, and offered to bet the 
drmks that he could turn up the old woman. 

"I've got two chances to your one," I replied; "but 
rilg(5yer." 

He turned the wrong one, and I laughed, as did the 
wheel man. Aleck then began blackguarding me, saying 
that I dare not bet on it ; that he did not believe I had any 
money ; till at last I pulled out a bundle that made the 
wheel man look wild. Aleck kept on daring me, so at last 
I bet him $100 that he couldn't find it the first time after 
I had done mixing them. Then he made the bet, putting 
the money up in the wheelman's hands ; and sure enough, 
he turned the old woman. Then I offered to bet him again 
for $200, and he turned it a second time. Then I pre- 
tended to drop on him, and refused to bet, saying "that 
his eyesight was too fine ;" but he ofTered to bet me " that 
the wheel man could do it." I replied that I'd bet any 
amount that he couldn't, unless he told him how. This set- 
tled the wheelman, who said that he could turn the right 
card for $100. 

" But I am already a loser for more than that, and I 
wont bet now for less than $500." 

He began counting out his roll, but could only make out 
$430, He was wearing a $100 watch and chain, and Aleck 
whispered to him to put up that for the remaining $70. 
This he did, and I soon raked them in, as of course he got 
the wrong card. The fellow looked a little blue, but Aleck 
made him believe that he had in his hurry picked up the 
wrong card. So the fellow was bound to have revenge, 
and he put up his jewelry and wheel, all of which T soon 
won. 

When Captain Dix came around, he was so overjoyed 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 239 

that he set up the wine and had a heart}' laugh over it. I 
gave the fellow $50 and paid his passage back to St. 
Louis, while his jewelry I gave to a lame fellow that I 
knew in New Orleans, and it was a start in life for him. 

The next morning, before the story of the jewelry man 
had gotten out among the passengers, we took in two or 
three suckers, and were intending to get off at Baton 
Rouge ; but noticing several good men getting aboard, de- 
termined to try our hands on them. The fates were pro- 
pitious, for we won $1,400 and a watch from one of them, 
and the other was plucked for $700 and a $200 diamond 
pin. I afterwards learned that they were both wealthy 
men who had been up to see the Governor, so the trifling 
loss of their pocket money did not affect them. 

WON AND LOST. 

We had been playing monte at one time in the bar- 
room of the old Prenlis House at Vicksburg, Miss., and 
had just closed up, when in came four fellows that lived 
back in the country. We thought they had some money, 
so we opened up again to take it in. It was not long until 
we had all of their cash stuff. Then one of them pointefd 
out a fine horse that was hitched with three others out at 
the rack, and wanted to bet me the horse against $200. 
The others then said they would do the same thing, so I 
put up $800 against their four horses, and they selected 
one of their party to turn the card. He turned and lost. I 
sent a black boy to put my horses into the stable, and he 
started with two of them, when two of the fellows rushed 
out, jumped onto the other two horses, and went up the hill 
as if the d — 1 was after them. I sent word to them by the 
other two that if they ever came back to Vicksburg I would 
have them arrested for stealing the horses. I did not wait 
to see if they ever did come back, but sold the two horses 
I had left for $300, and took the next boat for New Orleans. 
There was a poor woman with six children on board the 



2^0 i'ORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

boat, and she did not have any money to pay her passage, 
so we passed the hat around, and every person on the boat 
that was told about the poor woman chipped in something, 
except one stingy fellow. We took the money to Captain 
Leathers, as we were on his boat ; but he refused to accept 
one cent for her passage, and told us to give the money to 
the woman. He gave her a state-room, and treated her as 
if she was paying full price for her passage. After the poor 
woman and her children had been taken care of, we opened 
up monte, and one of the first fellows we caught was the 
man who would not chip in to help the poor woman and 
her little children. We downed him for $800, and he 
kicked like a government mule. He went to the Captain, 
who liad been told how mean he had been, so he got no sym- 
pathy from him or any one else. The passengers called 
him " Old Stingy," and asked him if he was not sorry he had 
not given something to the woman before he lost his money. 
It always did me a great deal of good to down a stingy 
man, for I knew he would soon have more, even if he had 
to starve himself to get it. 

DETECTIVES AND WAFCHES. 

Tripp and I were playing tlie trains on the Missouri 
Pacific Railroad at one time. We had been out on the road, 
and were on our way back to St. Louis, and had got away 
with all the suckers on the train. I was enjoying a smoke 
in the sleeper, when a nice looking gentleman came in. I 
offered him a cigar, telling him I was in the tobacco 
business at New Orleans. We talked cigars, tobacco, etc. 
I learned he was a United States detective from Arkansas, 
on his way to Washington City. Wliile we were talking 
and smoking, in came Tripp dressed up like a cow-boy. 
He told his story, and finally caught the fellow for $1,000. 
The detective did not do any kicking until we got to St. 
Louis, then he went to the chief of detectives, who was at 
that time a Mr, Horrigan. He told the chief how we had 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 24I 

robbed him, and wanted us arrested. Mr. Horrigan was a 
sensible man, and knew that the sucker expected to win our 
money, or he would not have lost his. So he told him that 
his experience was worth what he had lost, and that he had 
no time to hunt up gamblers. The detective went on to 
Washington City a sadder but a wiser man. I always en- 
joyed taking in detectives, for they think themselves too 
smart to be caught. They are but human, and like other 
mortals can be landed for suckers if the bait is good and 
nicely handled. 

At another time on the same road we met a new con- 
ductor, or at least we supposed he was a new one, as he did 
not know us, or we him. When we started to play our 
game he broke back to the sleeper, and I found out from 
the porter that he went to the superintendent and told him 
here was a lot of gamblers in the smoker, and asked him 
what he should do. The superintendent was something 
like Mr. Horrigan, the Chief of Detectives of St. Louis, for 
he told the conductor to look after his train and let the 
gamblers look after the suckers, as he did not care if they 
lost all their money, for they would noi; bet if they did not 
expect to win. I inquired the name of the superintendent, 
for I thought he must be a brother of Mr. Horrigan, but his 
name was different. We downed several fellows. The 
conductor looked on, but did not say a word. I learned 
that he was a freight conductor, and had never run a pas- 
senger train before, so I excused him for wanting to inter- 
fere ; and as I had now a few good watches, I let him have 
one very cheap, and he appreciated my kindness. Speak- 
ing of watches, I had orders from a great many persons to 
win them certain kinds of watches. So when I got one to 
suit the order I would take it to my customer in place of the 
pawn shops. My old friend, Simon McCarthy, of Indian- 
apolis, had given me an order to win him a good watch. 
So one day, going into the city, I downed a gentleman for 
some money and his watch. When I got to Indianapolis I 

went to see Simon, and told him I had a watch I thought 
16 



242 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



would suit him. He looked at it, and when he opened the 
back case he threw up both hands and said : 

" Why, George, this is our Mayor's watch. Where did 
you get it?" 

I told him I won it coming in on the train, and described 
the man. He told me it was the Mayor, and advised me 
to return it to him. I learned where he lived, went to his 
house, rang the bell, and asked to see the Mayor. He 
came out to the door, and I handed him his ticker. He 
asked me to come in, and told me to say nothing about it, 
and if he could ever do me a favor he would do so. I did 
a good thing for myself that night, for it was but a short 
time after that until I was arrested and taken before his 
Honor. He let me off with a big fine, and after my pros- 
ecutors were gone he remitted the fine, and we then had a 
drink together. I wanted to return what little money I had 
won from him, but he would not receive it, saying it was 
well invested. 

FIGHTS. 

Before the time of railroads in the West, the steamboats 
on the Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, and other rivers carried 
a great many passengers, as it was the most pleasant and 
rapid mode of travel in those early days. I was on board 
of some water craft nearly all the time for forty years of 
rny life, and during that period met with a great many 
rough characters. I believe that I can truthfully say I 
have had more fights in the cabin and bar of steamboats 
than any other man in this country. I never tried to pick 
a fuss with any man ; but in my business it was very hard 
to avoid them without showing the white feather — and in 
those days there was no such tint in my plumage. The 
officers did not like a fuss on their boats, but most of them 
had rather see a fellow fight than to take an insult ; and I 
can not call to mind just now a single case, in all my many 
fiehts, where the captain of a boat blamed me for licking 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 243 

my man ; but I do remember some good old captains who 
would rather see a fight than eat when they were hungry. 

I always carried the very best pistol that could be 
bought for money, and had one that I called *' Betsy 
Jane," for which I paid $ioo. I never wanted to turn her 
loose, for I did not want ever to kill a man. I only used 
her as a bluffer, and she has often responded to my wants 
successfully. 

I was on board the steamer Kate Kinney coming down 
the Missouri River at one time, and bad won a great deal 
of money. One big fellow lost $700, and I could see he 
was very mad about it. He would go to the bar and 
take a big drink, and then come back to the table. Finally 
he got himself nerved up pretty well, so he said to the by- 
standers : 

" I have a d d notion to kick that table over and 

break up his game." 

I replied, " It will do you no good to kick the table 
over, as I have caught all the suckers, and am now going 
to quit and take a drink." 

I started to the bar, and invited all hands to join me. 
The big fellow followed, but would not take a drink. I 
could see he was sizing me up, and I knew he wanted 
some of my mutton, so I said to him : 

' ' We have all had a drink but you ; wont you join 
me?" 

He replied, " I cai> buy my own drinks, and you can 
go to h — 1." 

I did not reply to him, but walked out into the cabin. 
He followed me out, for he knew he had me afraid of him 
by my not resenting the insult. He got up pretty close 
and said : 

*' If you did get my money, I can lick you." 

I told him he had better find an easier fight, when he 
let fly at me. I was on my guard, caught his lick on my 
arm, and then I lit into him, and we had it rough-and- 
tumble all around the hall. We came near upsetting the 



244 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



stove ; but I had him whipped in about two minutes, and 
he squealed like a pig under a gate. 

At another time I was coming down the Missouri River 
from St. Joseph to St. Louis, and had beaten a fellow out 
of $40, He was a rolling-mill man from St. Louis, and I 
found out he could hit a pretty hard lick. I was playing a 
game of euchre in the hall after closing up monte, when 
this fellow slipped up and hit me a lick on the side of the 
neck that came near flooring me. I rallied and was on my 
guard in an instant. He came at me again, and we had it 
up and down and around the cabin for some little time be- 
fore I could get a crack at him with my head. When the 
old head did get a chance, it was not long until he cried 
quit. The Captain and every one who saw the fellow hit 
ine from behind said they were glad to see him get licked, 
and so was I. 

At another time I was in a game of poker on the 
steamer Telegraph coming up from Madison, Ind., and 
there was a big blacksmith in the game who was very 
quarrelsome. He wanted to fight every time he would lose 
a dollar, so I ran him up a hand and then broke him. He 
left the game and went into the bar. My old friend Jake 
Bloom had the bar at the time. The big fellow told Jake 
he was going 10 whip that fellow they called Colonel when 
the game was over Jake told him he could get a much 
easier fight, if he wanted to lick some one. He replied : 

" Why, I can lick that fellow in a minute." 

I was sitting where I could hear what he said ; so, as 
there was very little more money in the party I was playing, 
I left the game and went into the bar-room, and said to the 
blacksmith . 

"Come, old top, and join me in a drink, for I beat you 
on that last hand." 

He replied, " I don't drink with such fellows as you." 

He had hardlv ffot the words out of his mouth before he 
was lying on the floor, for I gave him a lick under the chin 
that straightened him out. As he was getting up, I let the 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 245 

old head go, and down he went ngain. He said, '* That 
will do;'' so I let up on him. He went to his room, and 
did not leave it until the next morning, when he had to be 
led off the boat, as he could not see. He swore out a war- 
rant for my arrest ; but when the policeman came to get 
me, the clerk told him I had left the boat. That was the 
last I ever heard of my big blacksmith. 

THE ENGLISHMAN AND HIS GUN. 

Every nationality has its suckers, and it would be pretty 
hard for me to decide which has the most, for I have, in my 
time, downed them all. I was on board the steamer Great 
Reftiblic at one time when there was a number of English 
lads among the passengers. They had come over to this 
country to hunt the buffalo, and had brought their guns 
with them. I got acquainted with them, as they were often 
in the bar-room after the bloody, blarsted wine, and they 
liked to talk about Old h'England and their fine guns, you 
know. I got one of them to show me his gun, and I think 
it was the finest piece I ever saw. Each gun had two sets 
of barrels, and had the owner's name engraved on it. inlaid 
with gold, and not one of them cost less than $500. I tried 
to buy one but it could not be done. One night after my 
partner had gone to bed I was in the bar-room, when one 
of the English lads came in. He had been in bed, but got 
up to get a blarsted drink, and he invited me to join him, 
which I did, and then I insisted on him joining me in a 
small bottle. We drank three bottles, then I excused my- 
self, and sent for my partner to get up and come to the bar- 
room. I then began telling the English lad about a new 
game, and finally I got out the tickets and was showing 
them, when my partner came in about half asleep. He, 
like the English lad, had been in bed and had got up to get 
a drink. He invited us to join him, as he did not like to 
drink alone. We accepted, and as the lad was feeling 
pretty good by this time, he could not let a gentleman treat 



2.\b FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

without returning the comphment, you know. My partner 
and the lad got to guessing for fun, and then proposed to 
wager the wine. I lost a bottle, and so did my partner. 
While we were drinking my partner put a crimp in the 
baby ticket, but took good care that the English lad saw 
him do it. Then he wanted me to bet money on the game, 
and I said : 

" I have two chances to your one, and could win all 
your money if we would bet." 

The Englishman laughed, and said: 

" Why, lad, you 'aven't a bloody bit of a chance ; you 
would lose every blarsted cent you 'ave if you bet." 

My partner kept bantering me, when I pulled out a roll 
of greenbacks that made them open their eyes, saying: 

"• I would not be one bit afraid to wager all that." 

The Englishman gave me a nudge and said : 

" Lad, don't you do it." 

My partner then said : 

" I haven't got one-half so much money, but I will bet 
you $500 I can pick up the baby ticket." 

We put our money in the Englishman's hand, and I 
turned to him and offered to bet him a bottle of wine that 
I would win the money. He took me up. My partner 
turned the card, and I lost the money and the wine. 

He wanted to bet me $1,000, but I told him he was a 
little too lucky for me. I saw Johnnie Bull was crazy to 
bet, so I said to him : 

" Do you think you could guess the baby ticket? " 

*• Indeed I do," he repHed. 

" I will wager you that you can't." 

He got out his leather bag and counted out twenty 
sovereigns. I saw he had plenty more, so I would not bet 
him less than one hundred sovereigns. He put them up, 
and I put up $500 in greenbacks. He turned the card and 
lost. My partner made him believe that he had made a 
mistake, by showing him that the corner of the baby ticket 
was still turned up. 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI, 247 

He wanted to bet with me, so I took him for $500, and 
he won. That made Johnine Bull hot, as he did not have 
any more ready money except maybe $50. I saw he was 
ready for anything, so I told him I would bet him $1,000 
against his gun if it was on the table. He jumped up, went 
to his room, and soon returned with his case. He unlocked 
it and showed me the gun. I put $1,000 in the barkeeper's 
hands, as I wanted to get the gun where he could not snatch it 
and run, as I expected he would do, if I gave him a chance. 
I mixed the cards, and he went for the baby, but he must 
have been excited, for he missed it. It was fun to see him. 
He looked at the cards, at me and my partner, then at his 
gun case, but it was behind the bar, and he could not get it. 
As soon as he could speak he said : 
"Oh ! m}' gun ; I've lost my gun," 

He walked up and down the guards, coming in every 
moment to look at his gun, I finally told him if he would 
raise the money 1 would let him have his gun for $500. 
Then he was happy, but he would not go to bed or leave 
the bar for fear I would get off with his fine English gun. 
The next morning he told his companions, and they raised 
the $500 in less than no time. I heard them talking. One 
would say to another : 

"The lad has lost his gun, lads, and we must get the 
bloody thing for 'im." 

I could have got $1,000 for it just as quick as the $500. 
I tried to show the other Johnnie Bulls how the lad lost his 
gun, but they would not come within a mile of the table. I 
bid them all good-bye and left the boat at Vicksburg, but 
I was always sorry I did not keep that gun. 

TRAVELING KENO. 

Away back in the fifties, when there was but few rail- 
roads in the Northwest, I went by stage from LaCrosse to 
Portage City, Wis. It was during the winter season, and 
a bitter cold day. I came very near freezing on the road. 



248 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

but I expected to make money, and I guess that was what 
saved me. I had a keno outfit with m^, and it was my in- 
tention to play the surrounding towns after the manner of a 
traveling show. The first thing to be done after my arrival 
was to get thawed out, then to see the Mayor and get his 
permission (or license) to advertise and run my game. I 
called upon his Honor and stated my business. He did not 
know much about keno, so I explained the little innocent 
game to him. The result was, I got authority to open my 
ffame. I secured a room that had been used as a school 
room, and advertised that I would open the next night, and 
in a short time after the door was opened the room was full 
of pupils. Some of them had never been to such a school, 
so I had to teach them the first principles ; but it did not 
take me very long, as all those that had taken lessons ren- 
dered me all the assistance in their power, and I was very 
thankful for it, as I was anxious to get to work. After dis- 
tributing the books, I began to call the numbers, and I 
must say I never saw a more quiet and attentive set of 
pupils in a school-room. We were getting along so 
nicely that I began to think it a pleasure to teach such nice 
boys, when a great big, rough-looking fellow came in, 
stalked all around the school-room, and made so much noise 
that I had to call some of the numbers over again. Some 
of the boys told him to sit down, take a book and study his 
lesson, but he would not do it. I saw he was a bad boy, 
and would not let the other boys alone ; so I spoke to him 
very kindly, telling him to sit down, and see if he could 
not learn something ; but he was one of the worst boys I 
ever saw, for he told me to go to h — 1, and he would do 
just as he pleased. I remembered when I went to school 
how my teacher used to serve me when I was a bad boy 
and would annoy the other boys. So I told the scholars 
we would take a recess for about twenty minutes. They all 
threw down their books, and most of them went out to play. 
During recess I walked up to the bad boy and said- 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 249 

"You are a very bad boy to come in here and annoy 
my pupils, and you deserve a whipping." 

He replied : " You are not man enough to whip me." V 

" That was all I wanted him to say ; so I let fly and 
gave him a good one on the jaw, and then I kept it up, 
until he cried worse than I ever did when I went to school. 
He got out of that school room faster than he came in, and 
then I called order and went on with my duties just as if 
nothing had happened out of the regular order. 

I remained in Portage City for some time. My pupils 
liked me and paid their tuition promptly. Some of them 
paid much more than they could well afford, but they did 
it voluntarily. I went from Portage to Madison, where I 
had a good game, but I had to whip a fellow the second 
day, and in fact I had one or more fights in every town I 
went to ; for there is nearly always some big bully in a town 
or city that has whipped some one, and he thinks that 
everyone is afraid of him, and he can do just as he pleases ; 
but they found out that they could not run me on my keno 
business. 

A BULL FIGHT. 

The steamer yokn Walsh was on an upward trip, two 
days out from New Orleans. A crowd of gentlemen were 
gathered about the bar, punishing wine at $5 a bottle. 
With flushed faces, jocund laughter, and the incessant 
pop of the champagne corks, the time flew unheeded past. 
The barkeeper smiled when at the little window of the bar 
the ebony head of a stalwart negro appeared. 

" Say, boss, gimme some whisky." 

Everybody turned, and laughter that was about to burisi 
forth, or the jest that was ready, was hushed ; for the ne- 
gro's head was split open and the blood pouring down his 
cheeks in rivulets, crimsoning his swarthy, shiny skin and 
clothing. 

" Been fighting ?" said the barkeeper. 



250 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

" Yes ; de fireman he butted me." 

Up came the mate, who observed: 

" We've got a tireman down below who has killed two 
or three niggers by butting them to death with his head." 

♦'Send him up," I said, " and I'll butt him till he is 
sick of butting." 

We had all been drinking wine, and everybody laughed, 
supposing that it was the liquor talking, and not me. 

" Why, Devoi, I wouldn't give five cents for your head 
if that nigger gets a lick at it," spoke up a young planter 
who was in the party. 

Then I got mad, and exclaimed : 

" I'll bet $500 I can make the nigger squeal." 

The mate roared out with laughter ; but I put up my 
money, and so did the young planter, thinking that I would 
back out. He only had $175 in his roll, and he offered to 
bet that. 

" All right; 1 don't back out. I'll butt the nigger for 

$175-" 

The money was soon up in the barkeeper's hands ; and 
then the mate knew that I meant business, and he put up 
$25 to make bet the even $200. 

At this juncture the mate called a halt. " Wait till I 
see if the nigger will butt with a white man ;" and rushing 
down stairs, the ** image of God cut in ebony" was inter- 
viewed. 

" I doant like for to butt a white man," he said, '* for 
I'm afraid I'll kill him, and den dey hang de ole nigger." 

But the mate said, ''I've just put up $25 on you, and 1 
want to win it." 

" All right ; if yer means it, boss, I'll go yer." 
At the bar I procured a long string and a ribbon 
from a cigar bunch, and started down stairs. Instantly the 
wildest excitement reigned on the boat. Two of the deck- 
hands stood guard at the foot of the stairs to keep the 
crowd back, and the hurricane roof and boiler deck were 



ON 'I HE MISSISSII'PI. 251 

thronged with an eager and excited crowd. Fastening one 
end of the string to the jack-staff and the other to the 
steps at about the proper height, the ribbon was tied in the 
centre of the string, and the black man and myself stood 
back five feet on either side, and at a given signal were to 
come forward and strike at the ribbon. Then the passen- 
gers said it was a shame to let that nasty nigger butt that 
nice white man to death ; but as there were no S. P. C. A. 
officers aboard, the game went on. 

The deck-hands all rolled up their eyes and looked at 
me as they would at a corpse. Just before the word ready 
was given, I asked the nigger if he had any money to put 
up on the result, and running his hand down in his watch- 
pocket he pulled out a ten-dollar bill. I covered it, and 
the planter told the nigger he would give him $10 more if 
he downed me. I cocked my eye on the nigger's head, 
and saw that it was one of those wedge-shaped cocoanuts 
so peculiar to people of African descent ; so I inwardly re- 
solved to hit him on one side of his wedge-shaped cranium. 
The nigger had his face to the sun, so that I felt confident 
that I could hit him pretty near where I wanted to. 

The word was given, and at the ribbon we both rushed 
like a couple of frenzied bulls. I gave him a glancing 
blow that skinned his head for about three inches. The 
next time there was a crash, a jar that shook the boat and 
drew a shriek of terror from the passengers, for the nigger 
fell with a dull thud on the deck. He lay as stiff and cold 
as a dead man. 

" Dat nigger is done gone dead ! Dat nigger is no good 
any more !" shouted the alarmed roustabouts. 

The mate lifted him up, and he began bleeding from 
the nose, eyes, and ears. The mate kindly asked him if 
he wanted to butt any more. He did not reply, only shook 
his head sadly and murmured inaudibly, "No." They ap- 
plied whisky and water to his head, and at last removed 
him into the deck to cool off. 

Many years have rolled by, and I have never heard the 



252 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



last of that butting adventure. The papers wrote it up, 
and in lejss than ten days every planter on the coast had 
heard of it. The planter who lost the $175 tells the story 
to this day ; and Bill Patterson, the mate (he is dead now), 
used to tell it to every new crew that he shipped. 

Towards night the old nigger came crawling up stairs 
and said : 

" Massa, you have done for this poor nigger, for I must 
go to the hospital and get cured up." 

I returned him his $10, and for the rest of the trip the 
passengers paid for everything I wanted to drink. 

IT SHOOK THE CHECKS. 

It never pays a man to be too officious and volunteer 
information or advice when it is not asked, for he very 
often makes enemies and courts a disturbance that he could 
easily have avoided if he had simply minded his own busi- 
ness. 

Some seven years ago I attended a fair at Cynthiana, 
Ky,, and opened out a gentleman's game in the Smith 
Hotel bar-room. There were a number of sports from 
Louisville and Cincinnati present, and everything was 
moving along lively, and as decorous as a funeral, when 
some of the Paris and Louisville boys indulged in a scrim- 
mage and were arrested. Everybody left the hotel and 
went to see the result of the trial. I sat near the judge, 
and when the evidence was all in I whispered to him to 
fine them $10 each. This he did, and as we were leaving 
the court-room, I noticed that a big fellow from Paris, Ky., 
regarded me with very sour looks. 

After supper I opened up my game, and in he came, 
and going to the bar-keeper, whispered in a tone of voice 
loud enough for me to hear: " I am going to whip that 
dealer." 

Pretty soon I closed up the game, and then Sam Ali- 
wnys and myself took a turn around the town, and run- 



ON THB MISSISSIPPI. 253 

ning into a saloon, met the big bully. He had his coat off 
and a six-shooter a foot long hanging to his side ; so, 
edging up to where he stood, I tapped him on the shoul- 
der, observing : 

" You are the gentleman thai; is looking for a fight." 

As soon as he saw who it was, he grabbed for his shoot- 
ing-iron ; but just as he got hold of the handle, I dealt him 
a blow in the neck and he fell over against the counter, but 
I soon grabbed him and hit him a butt with my head. 
That ended the fight. He had sense enough to say, " That 
will do ;" and seeing a policeman coming in one door, I 
went out another, hastened to the hotel and paid my bill, 
and caught the train for Covington. I was none too quick, 
however ; for the ne.xt day when Aliways came along with 
my tools, he said that the fellow had a host of friends in 
the town, and that at least fifty fellows came around 
armed with case-knives, axes, double-barreled shotguns, 
revolvers, and rocks ; and that if they had caught me, I 
would have met a fate worse than the martyr Stephen or 
the Chicago anarchists. 

The fellow went by the name of Bill Legrets. When 
he was asked why he didn't shoot me, he said : 

"Shoot h — 1. The first lick he hit me, I thought my 
neck was disjointed ; and when he ran that head into me, I 
thought it was a cannon-ball." 

Bob Linn was dealing up stairs at the lime, and he 
afterwards said that when the bloody duffer fell to the 
floor, that all the checks on the table trembled like aspen 
leaves. Poor fellow ! He is dead now, having been shot 
in Paris a few years since. 

WITH A POKER. 

Once when traveling in the West, and wmmug some 
money from a man from Kansas City, some smart Aleck 
told him that I had cheated him, so he made up his mind 
to kill me on sight. I made some inquiries, and ascer 



254 



FORTY V'H:ARS A GAMBLER 



tained that he was a desperate man and had already killed 
his two men. Accordingly I put my gun in my pocket 
and staid about the town, just keeping my eyes on the 
lookout, and at last went up to Omaha. 

I was silting one evening playing the bank, having for- 
gotten all about the Kansas City man, when a friend of 
mine came to me and said that the man was in the adjoin- 
ing room, and would soon be in to play faro. I lost no 
time in making my preparations to meet the gentleman. 
My friend had no pistol, nor had I ; but seeing a poker 
lying on the floor near the stove, I rushed for it ] and as I 
knew I could not go out without going through the room 
where he was, I simply put the poker under my coat and 
got close up to the door that led into the faro room and 
awaited his arrival. It was not long ; and as soon as I 
saw him and was sure, I let drive and caught him square 
in the mouth, knocking him stiff. Then I rushed forward, 
and, grabbing him, secured his pistol, as I thought he 
would in all probability turn it loose on me. Then I 
attended to his head for a few minutes, endeavoring to 
kick the fight out of him. 

I learned afterwards that he had a very bad reputation, 
having killed three men and been warned off the plains by 
a vigilant committee. He was confined to his bed for a 
couple of weeks, and I was congratulated on all sides for 
having walloped the fellow. 

LEFT IN TIME. 

Thirty-five or forty years ago the Cincinnati boats used 
to carry a great many passengers, and the New Orleans 
boats were always well filled. I once got aboard the 
Torktown at Vicksburg. There was a full passenger list, 
and when I opened up there was at once a crowd around 
my frugal board. They seemed to enjoy the fair, and I 
won a good pile of money. At last we reached Bayou 
Plaquemine, at which point there was a strong current 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 255 

sweeping down the bayou, so that flat-boats were frequently 
driven in there and stranded. The Torktown undertook to 
land at the mouth of the bayou, but the current which 
flowed like a mill-dam was too strong, and she started 
down the bayou. They headed her at once for the bank, 
and her stern swung around, and, lodging against the op- 
posite bank, formed a perfect bridge across the mouth of 
the bayou. The boat was loaded to the guards, and the 
water ran through her deck rooms so rapidly that I thought 
every minute she would sink or fill with water, but they 
put weigh! on the hatches, then dug around the stern, so as 
to let her swing around. Just then two boats came along, 
one upward bound and the other down. One of them 
pushed and the other pulled the boat off", and then I began 
to look around, only to see that all the passengers had gone 
ashore. After wandering about the town the suckers de- 
cided that it was time to kick and have me arrested, but I 
divined what was in the wind, and, like Lord Byron's 
Arab, silently folded my tent and crept away. I reached 
New Orleans first. 

ON THE CIRCUIT. 

During the summer of the Centennial year I followed 
the races ; gambling on horses, running faro bank, red and 
black, old monte, and anything else that came up. I had a 
partner at the beginning b}' the name of John Bull, of 
Chicago, and he was a good, clever boy. He dealt faro, 
and I the red and black. We separated at Jackson, Mich., 
he going to Chicago and I to Cleveland, where I witnessed 
the great race between "Goldsmith Maid" and the horse 
*' Smuggler," on which I lost some money ; but I had a 
good game of red and black, so I was about even. I then 
concluded I would follow the trotters through the circuit. 
While sitting at the hotel one day in Cleveland I saw on 
the opposite side of the street a face and form that I thought 
I recognized. I ran over, and sure enough it was my old 



256 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

partner, Canada Bill, and with him another great capper by 
the name of Dutch Charlie. I was more than glad to see 
Bill, and he was very glad to see me. He wanted me to 
tell him where I had been, what I had been doing, and 
where I was going, and wound up by saying: 

" George, let's go and get something." 

We soon found a bar-room, and began telling each 
other all that had happened since we were last together. 
1 told Bill I had about made up my mind to follow the 
horses through the circuit. He told rne that he and Charlie 
were going to do the same thing, and insisted that I should 
join, allowing as " how we three would make a good, strong 
team." I agreed. So it was settled we would all work 
together. While we were talking a slick-looking fellow, 
who I took to be a store clerk, walked in, and Bill invited 
him to take a drink, which he did, and I was introduced to 
Mason Long, who now styles himself *' the converted gam- 
bler." Bill, Charlie, and I left Cleveland and went to 
Buffalo, but the night we left we had downed a sucker for 
$1,300, and thought best not to wait for morning. 

We caught some good ones on the trip over, and they 
set up a great big kick. They telegraphed si description of 
Bill to Buffalo, so we got him to get off before we reached 
the city, telling him where to meet Charlie and myself the 
next day. We went on to the city and waited for Bill to 
show up, which he did the next night. He was too smart 
to come in by rail, so he got a man to drive him in. 

We kept him in his hotel for a few days, until we 
thought the kickers that we had beat out of $2,100 had left 
the city. Then we made him dress up in store clothes, 
which he did not like a bit, saying : 

" I don't feel good in these tarnal stiff things, nohow." 

We thought best not to try our old games in Buffalo for 
fear the police would be looking for Bill, so we played the 
faro banks, bet on horses, and quit big losers at the end of 
the week. Dutch Charlie saved his money. He did not 
play the bank or horses, and it was well for us that he did 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 257 

not, for we always had a roll to use in making a bluff, 
which sometimes we would not have had if it had not been 
for him. We went from Buffalo to Rochester, and as we 
did not catch any kicking sucker on the way down, we had 
clear sailing during the week. We won a pile of money at 
monte, but Bill and I lost heavily at the races and faro 
banks. From Rochester we went to Utica, where I re- 
mained but a day or two, then concluded to run down to 
Philadelphia and see the Exposition. I bid the boys good- 
bye, promising to return before they left Utica. I did not 
take but little money with me, as I did not expect to do any 
bluffing while I was away. I took in the faro banks the 
first night, and the next day did not have a dollar. I 
started out on the street and soon met a man that I knew 
by the name of John Wilson. I saw by his actions he was 
like myself, "running light," for he did not ask me to take 
something, which I knew was his custom, for he was a 
clever fellow. We understood each other very soon, and 
parted. I had not gone very far until I heard some one 
call my name. I looked up, and saw two old friends of 
mine from New Orleans in a carriage that had just passed 
me. Then I knew I had struck oil. I lost no time in 
getting alongside of that rig and shaking hands with 
Samuel DeBow and Wm, Graham from my adopted home. 
They invited me to accompany them to the Exposition 
grounds, which I was very glad to do. They soon saw by 
my actions that something was out of tune, so they pressed 
me to know what it was. I told them, and I soon had all 
the money I wanted. After taking in the Exposition and a 
very large quantity of wine, I bid my friends good-bye, 
promising to meet them in Saratoga within a we^k. I 
went back to Utica and found that the boys, Bill and 
Charlie, had won $3,800, and they insisted that I was in 
with it. From Utica v»'e went to Poughkeepsie, and in a few 
days I again left the boys to meet my New Orleans friends at 
Saratoga. I put up at the same hotel where they were 
stopping. The next day we took in the races, where I met 
17 



258 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

another friend by the name of Rufus Hunt. He was well 
posted and gave us some good pointers. We bought pools 
and won $gcx). Then we all tried to see how much wine 
we could take in, and I do believe we got in $900 worth. 

Canada Bill came over, and we spent a week with my 
friends. Then we promised to meet them in New York, 
and left for Poughkeepsie, where we found Dutch Charlie, 
and we all took a Hudson river boat, called the Mary 
Powell^ for New York. On our way down we got into 
a friendly game of euchre with an old gent, and we re- 
lieved him of $700. After dinner I went up on the roof 
and saw my old friend Captain Leathers, of the steamer 
Natchez, in the pilot-house. He was insisting that his boat 
could beat the Mary Po-ujell, and when he saw me he said : 

" I can prove it by that man coming up here now." 

I was glad to see the old fellow so far from home, so I 
told the pilot that the Natchez was the fastest boat on the 
Mississippi ; and Captain Leathers went down to see the 
boys and the barkeeper. 

Bill, Charlie, and I remained in New York for some 
time, and we proved what old Bill said in Cleveland: 
"We three would make a good, strong team." 

The time came when I was compelled to leave the boys 
and go to Chicago, and that was the last I saw of old 
Canada Bill and Dutch Charlie until the following winter, 
when they both came down to New Orleans, and then we 
again made the suckers think we three were a good team. 

STRATAGEM. 

We went on board of Captain William Eads' boat at 
St. Charles, Mo., late one night, and found that all the 
state-rooms were taken and we could get no bed. There 
was no one up about the cabin except the officers of the 
boat, and as we never tried to win their money, things 
looked a Httle blue for any business before morning, unless 
some of the passengers could be got up. Young Bill Eads, 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 2^9 

a son of the Captain, was one of the pilots on the boat. 
He was off watch and at the bar drunk when we got on 
board. His father had married a young wife that day, 
and was taking his wedding trip on that boat. Young Bill 
was mad because his father had secured a young step- 
mother for him, and was just raising "Ned" about it. 

A short time after going on board, the boat made a 
landing, and while we were tied up, the other pilot came 
down to the bar to see Bill and also to get something. His 
name was John Consall — an old friend of mine. I invited 
him and Bill to join me, and while we were drinking I 
said : 

" I wish we could get up a little excitement, so some of 
the suckers would come out of their holes." 

Young Bill replied: "I'll get them out for you, and 
that d d quick." 

John Consall went back to the pilot-house, and soon 
had the boat on her way. Bill went out, and in about 
twenty minutes there was the darndest racket on that boat 
you ever heard. Everybody was sneezing at one and the 
same time, and you would have thought they were trying 
to blow the roof off, from the amount of noise they made. 
Bill came up to us out on the guards, and said : 

" Didn't I tell you I would drive them out of their 
holes?" 

I looked into the cabin, and, sure enough, everybody 
was out of their rooms, rushing up and down the cabin and 
finally out on the guards. Old Captain Bill and young 
Bill's new step-mother were among the crowd, and it was 
fun to see the young bride rushing around after her old 
hubby, trying to keep him from blowing up the boat with 
his sneezing and cursing. He would pull away from her 
every time he would make a big sneeze, and then he would 
curse until another one would overtake him. He and 
young Bill knew what was the cause of all the racket, and 
the old one soon learned who had put the red pepper on 
the hot stove. He tried to find his bad boy, but he was up 



-260 FORTY YKARS A GAMBLER 

on the roof, so his atep-mother did not get to see her hubby 
throw him overboard, as he swore he would do if he caught 
him. 

They opened all the doors, and soon the red pepper was 
all out of the cabin and state-rooms. The old Captain and 
all the passengers, except a few good suckers, went back 
to bed. Young Bill came out of his hiding-place, and we 
all took somethmg to wash down the pepper. We went to 
work on the fellows who remained up, and won ^i,^oo, be-r 
sides several good watches — which we would not have had 
a chance to do if the passengers had not been sneezed out. 
I appreciated tiie part Bill and John had played, and pre- 
sented -.ydch with a good watch. 

At another time I got on a boat after all the passengers 
had gone to bed, and did not want to wait until morning 
without doing some business ; so I inquired after the pas- 
sengers, and learned that there was one on board who had 
been drinking and flashing his money. I sent the porter 
to his room and told him to knock and tell him to get up 
at once, then whisper to him that the boat was on fire, but 
for him not to make any noise. In an instant the fellow 
was into a part of his clothes and out into the cabin. He 
rushed up to where we were sitting and wanted to know 
where the fire was. We told him down stairs under the 
boiler. Then he told us that some one came to his room 
and told him the boat was on fire. We laughed, and told 
him he must have been dreaming — and lie thought he must 
have been, if we had heard nothing about it. We all took 
something at his expense, and then my partner began to 
throw the tickets. We beat liim out of $500. and as he 

started to his room, he said : "I wish the d d boat had 

been on fire." 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 26 1 



MOBILE. 

General Canby captured Mobile, taking i,ooo prisoners, 
150 cannon, and 3,000 bales of cotton on the 12th day of 
April, 1865, and this about closed the war of the rebellion. 
I was in New Orleans at the time running the race-course 
and my games. I knew there would be plenty of money 
at Mobile after the Union Army took possession, and I re- 
solved to get over there just as soon as possible. So in a 
short time after the surrender I was in Mobile trying to get 
permission to open up my games. It was not long until I 
had a faro bank in full blast in the city, and a rouge-et-noir 
and wheel game at a resort on the shell road, about seven 
miles out from the city. I had a partner in the faro bank 
by the name of Pettypan, He was a Creol«, and not ihe 
best fellow in the world by any means when in liquor. He 
looked after the city trade, while I ran the game out on the 
shell road, in which he had no interest. 

The Union officers, and all the citizens that could afford 
it, would drive out to the road-house where I was holding 
forth, and I was making a barrel of money out of them. 
My old friend and former partner, Charlie Bush, was run- 
ning faro in New Orleans, and when he heard how much 
money I was making at Mobile he came over to run oppo- 
sition. I gave him a call and he downed me for a big 
roll. He made big money, and then wanted to go back to 
New Orleans without leaving any of it, but the Grand Jury 
indicted him and made him come down pretty heavy. 
They got an indictment against me at the same time, but 
somehow it got mto a pigeon-hole, and I guess it is there 
yet, for I never heard anything of it after Bush left. My 
partner in the faro bank was a little jealous of me, for I was 
making more money out on the shell road than he was in 
the city. One day when we were setding up our bank ac- 
count he got mad, as he was drunk, and pulled his gun 
an^ said he would shoot me. He knew I did not have any 



262 FORTY YKARS A GAMBLER 

gun with me, so he took this advantage. I saw he had me, 
so I just opened my vest and told him to shoot. That 
made him ashamed of himself, and he put up his gun and 
apologized. 

I was dealing red and black at the resort one night, 
when an officer came up and said : 

"I'll bet $25 on the red." 

I replied : " Which $25 do you mean?" 

Then he said: " It don't make any difference which. 
I say I will bet you $25 on the red." 

" No bet goes on this layout unless the money is up," I 

said. 

He then straightened himself to over six feet, and said : 

"• You are a d d rascal." 

" That is the conclusion I have come to about you," I 
remarked. 

Then he made a rush for me, and at it we went. We 
had a lively lime for a few moments, but I soon got a 
chance to give him my old head, and he hollowed enough. 
He went away and washed himself, and I did not see any 
more of him. His fellow officers heard how he had acted, 
and as he was a very quarrelsome man, they told me I 
served him just right, and they were all glad of it, and I 
had a better game after that than before. 

I remained at Mobile for some time, then sold out and went 
back to good old New Orleans, for it was hard in those days 
to stay away any great length of time, and even now I feel 
more at home there than any other place in this country. 

Sometime at'ter my return to New Orleans I was taken 
down with the yellow fever (of which I have spoken in a 
preceding story). I remained for a few months, when I 
took a notion to go North. So I sold out, and again I was 
onboard one of the packets going up the old Mississippi. 
I played all the old games up to St. Louis, and then I took 
a Missouri. River packet and went to Omaha, still keeping 
up my games. I then started out on the Union Pacific 
Railroad, and went as far as Julesburg, which was at that 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 263 

time the terminus. I remained there, playing the contrac- 
tors and every one else I could get a hold of, until the road 
was finished to Cheyenne City. 

I won a great deal of money, but as the good old game 
of faro followed in the track of civilization and the railroad, 
I lost nearly as fast as I won. I remained in the V/est 
for five months, when the old desire to get back home on 
the Mississippi took possession of me, and I could not resist 
the temptation, so I turned my face to the east, and in a 
short time I was in St. Joseph, Mo., where I met my old 
friend Ben Allman, who was running a fine large billiard 
hall. I concluded to stop and open a keno room, so 
I went to Chicago, bought a very fine outfit, and opened up 
over Allman's place. I advertised my business in all the 
papers, just as a dry goods merchant would advertise his 
business. My keno netted me from $150 to $200 per day, 
and I set a lunch each night at a cost of $25. Most men 
would have been content, but I was not, as I still longed 
for the life I had led for so many 3^ears on the river. So 
I sold out, and was soon in St. Louis ready for a down 
river packet. On my way down I won considerable money, 
and that, together with the fact that I was on my way back 
to the place I loved so well, made me happy. 

One night I went on board a boat that was so crowded 
with passengers that I could not get a room ; so I opened 
up monte, and as I was winning money, I did not realize 
that I was sleepy until they began to make up cots in the 
cabin, and most all the passengers had gone to bed. Then. 
I would have given almost any price for a place to sleep, but 
all the cots were engaged, and I was left. Nothing re- 
mained for me but to patronize the bar, which I was doing, 
when a man came in to get a drink that had been asleep on 
one of the cots. 1 told him as he had been resting if he 
would let me have his cot for the balance of the night I 
would give him ^5. He accepted my proposition, and I 
went to bed. I had been lying down but a few moments, 
when there was a fuss started near me. I raised up to see 



264 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

what was the cause, when I saw two Jews that had come 
aboard at Baton Rouge, and they were fighting for the 
possession of a cot. I got up and told them to stop their 
fighting and join me in a drink. They accepted the invita- 
tion. While we were drinking I learned that they had 
been playing cards at Baton Rouge before they had got on 
the boat, and had had a falling out over the game. I told 
them I saw a fellow playing a game that beat anything I 
ever had seen. They wanted to know what it was, so I 
showed them the three cards, and in a short time I had won 
$200 from them, I forgot all about being sleepy while I 
was working up the Jew boys, and by the time I had won 
their money the steward was clearing the cabin to set the 
tables for breakfast. I had lost the sleep for which I had 
paid $5, but I did not mind it much, as I had won $200. 

A DUCK HUNT. 

During the winter season, wild ducks are so plentiful 
around New Orleans that a good wing shot can bag a hun- 
dred of them in a few hours. I have often seen men 
coming in on the boats and trains with hundreds of nice 
wild ducks, and at such times I would promise myself to 
lay off and have a hunt ; so one morning I took my gun 
and about a hundred rounds of ammunition and went out 
on the L. & N. Railroad to Lake Pontchartrain. I killed 
at least twenty-five ducks, but only got six of them, as they 
fell in the water and I had no dog to fetch them. I went 
back to the station with my six ducks, and there I saw five 
Frenchmen and some dogs, and they had about 200 ducks. 
I felt ashamed of myself, so I tried to buy some of their 
ducks, but they would not sell. Then I thought I would 
interest them in old monte until the train arrived ; so I 
opened up on an old fish box and soon had them guessing 
for the baby ticket. One fellow wanted to bet a dollar, so 
I put up and he won. Another put up, and he won. Then 
I pulled out a roll and offered to bet them $50 against their 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 265 

entire lot of ducks that they could not turn the baby ticket. 
They all talked French to each other for a while, and then 
told me they would take me up. I told them to put their 
ducks all up beside the box and I would put up the $50. 
They did so, and all pointed to the same card, so I told 
them to turn it over. One of them did so, but it was not 
the card they wanted or thought it was, so they lost their 
ducks. 

The train arrived ; I got my ducks into the baggage-car 
and went to the city. I had the game hauled up to a 
restaurant, and sent for a lot of my friends, and I gave 
them all the ducks they wanted. I sold some, and had 
some cooked for myself and friends. 

All the boys heard of my good luck. Some of them 
wanted to borrow my gun, while others wanted to go out 
with me the next time I went hunting ; and there were 
some of the boys who knew me very well, who said : " De- 
vol did not shoot a single one of those ducks — he either 
bought or won them." I insisted that I shot ever}' one ; 
and as the Frenchmen did not know me, none of my 
friends ever knew that I won them on the baby ticket. 

OyiCK WORK. 

I went fishing one day out on Lake Pontchartrain, and 
caught a large string of fine fish. When I got back to 
the hotel, I sent an invitation to some of my city friends to 
drive out that evening and join me in a fish supper. They 
accepted the invitation, and were all on hand at the ap- 
pointed time. We were seated around a table enjoying 
ourselves drinking wine and telling stories, while waiting 
for supper, when we heard quite a noise down stairs in the 
direction of the bar-room. I told my friends to remain 
seated and have some more wine, while I went down and 
inquired into the cause of the racket. They did so, and I 
ran down to the bar-room. Looking in, I saw ten or twelve 
steamboat cooks, who were on a big drunk. They were 



266 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

breaking glasses, fussing with the barkeeper, and raising 
old Ned generally. 

I knew some of them, but as they were all pretty drunk, 
I concluded I could do no good, and was just turning 
away to go back to my friends, whei four or five Union 
officers and a man by the name of Dave Curtis came up 
and started into the bar-room. They saw and recognized 
me, and insisted on me joining them. We all went in and 
were taking a drink, when the cooks began their racket 
again. One fellow was just spoiling for a fight. He was 
a bully, and had whipped some of his associates, so no one 
seemed to want anything to do with him. Like most 
drunken men, he wanted everybody to know what a great 
man he was, so he began on us. We requested him to go 
away and join his friends, but he would not do it, so finally 
I said : 

" That fellow must have a fight, or he will get sick." 

Then I told him I would let him try his hand on me, if 
he was sure he could lick any man in the room. He came 
at me, made a feint with his left and then let drive with his 
right. I dropped down, ran under, and had him on his 
back before he knew what I was doing. Then I gave him 
just one with "that old head of mine," and I broke every 
bone in his nose. He yelled like an Indian, then I let him 
up. His friends or companions did not offer to interfere in 
his behalf, so I expect they were very glad to see him get 
licked so easy and so very quick — for it was all over in 
much less time than it takes me to tell the story. 

I took another drink with the Union officers and then 
hurried up stairs to my friends whom I had left waiting 
for the fish supper. They asked me what was the cause 
of the noise down stairs, and I told them it was a lot of 
drunken cooks. I said nothing about having had a fight, 
and they did not know anything about it until we all went 
down stairs, when some one spoke to me about the fellow's 
nose being all broken, etc. Then they asked me when I 
had a fight. I told them while we were waiting for supper. 



ON THK MISSISSIPPI. 267 

They thought it was pretty quick work to raise a fuss and 
whip a good cook while another cook was frying some 
fish. 



A HARD HEAD. 

In most all of the many fights that I have been engaged 
in, I made use of what I have called "that old head of 
mine." I don't know (and I guess I never will while I'm 
alive) just how thick my old skull is ; but I do know it 
must be pretty thick, or it would have been cracked many 
years ago, for I have been struck some terrible blows on 
my head with iron dray-pins, pokers, clubs, stone-coal, and 
bowlders, which would have split any man's skull wide 
open unless it was pretty thick. Doctors have often told 
me that my skull was nearly an inch in thickness over my 
forehead. They were only guessing at it then, of course, 
but if my dear old mother-in-law don't guard my grave, 
they will know after I am dead, sure enough, for I have 
heard them say so. 

For ten or fifteen years during my early life, the sport- 
ing men of the South tried to find a man to whip me, but 
they couldn't do it, and finally gave it up as a bad job. 
After they gave up tr^'ing to have me whipped, and they 
knew more about my old head, they would all go broke 
that I could whip or kill any man living, white or black, by 
butting him. I have had to do some hard butting in my 
early days, on account of the reputation I had made for 
my head. 

I am now nearly sixty years of age, and have quit fight- 
ing, but I can to-day batter down any ordinary door or 
stave in a liquor barrel with *' that old head of mine ;" and 
I don't believe there is a man living (of near my own age) 
who can whip me in a rough-and-tumble fight. I never 
have my hair clipped short, for if I did I would be ashamed 
to take my hat off, as the lines on my old scalp look about 
like the railroad map of the State in which I was born. 



268 FORTV YEARS A GAMBLER 

During the winter of '67 or '68, John Robinson's circus 
was showing in Nsw Orleans, and they had with them a 
man by the name of William Carroll, whom they adver- 
tised as "The man with the thick skull, or the great 
butter." He could out-butt anything in the show, except 
the elephant. One night after the show, Al. and Gill 
Robinson were up town, and their man Carroll was with 
them. We all met in a saloon and began drinking wine. 
While we were enjoying ourselves, something was said 
about butting, when Gill spoke up and said Carroll could 
kill any man in the world with his head. "Dutch Jake," 
one of the big sporting men of New Orleans, was in the 
party, and he was up in an instant, and s?id : 

"What's that? I'll bet $1,000 or $10,000 that I can 
find a man he can't kill or whip either." 

I knew what was up ; and as we were all friends, I did 
not want to change the social to a butting match, so I 
said : 

"Boys, don't bet, and Mr. Carroll and I will come 
together just once for fun." 

Tlie Robinson boys had great confidence in Carroll, 
and so did " Dutch Jake" have in me. I was at least fifty 
pounds heavier than Carroll, and I knew that was a great 
advantage, even if his head was as hard as my own. It 
was finally agreed that there would be no betting, so we 
came together. I did not strike my very best, for I was a 
little afraid of hurting the little fellow ; but then he traveled 
on his head, so I thought I could give him a pretty good 
one. After we struck, Carroll walked up to me, laid his 
hand on my head, and said : 

"Gentlemen, I have found my papa at last." 

He had the hardest head I ever ran against ; and if he 
had been as heavy as I was, I can't say what the result 
would have been if we had come together in earnest. 

Poor fellow ! He is dead now, and I know of no other 
man with as hard a head, except it is myself. My old head 
is hard and thick, and maybe that is the reason I never had 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 269 

sense enough to save my money. It is said of me that I 
have won more money than any sporting man in this country. 
I will say that I hadn't sense enough to keep it ; but if I had 
never seen a faro bank, I would be a wealthy man to-day. 

« 

SAVED BY HIS WIFE. 

I shall never forget a trip that I took many years ago 
on the steamer Tagleona, a Pittsburg boat. It was her 
first trip out, and Adam Clark, who has now been dead for 
many years, was with me as a partner. He was doing the 
playing, and money was plenty. Clark was an English- 
man, and when he spread his board in the hall-way and 
made his introductory speech, a great crowd gathered 
about ; for as he dropped his h's, like all Cockneys, it 
was very amusing to hear him talk. In those days the big 
fish had the first choice, and the small fry, or poor fish, had 
to wait around some time before they got a chance to lose 
their money. I noticed an old man hanging around, and 
as I sized him up as a pretty solid fellow, and giving my 
partner the wink, I called up all hands to the bar, and they 
all came willingly enough except u couple of fellows, who 
hung back. I sent one of the crowd back to invite them 
up, as I did not want them to see what the old man lost. 
They came along, and while we were at the bar Adam 
downed his man for $4,000 at one bet. When we came 
back from the bar, Adam kept right on playing as if noth- 
ing had happened, using the same cards with the corner 
turned up. When the poor fish saw this they all wanted to 
play, so I said : 

" Boys, let's make up a pony purse and give him a 
good bet." 

This was readily agreed to, and when I asked Adam 
what was the least he would turn for, he said $2,000. I was 
pretty sure there was not that amount of money in the 
party, but I remarked that I would go half of it. Then a 
little wizen-faced, dried-up old man said he would put up 



27c FORTY YKARS A GAMBLER 

$400. The rest chipped in, and $900 was raised. I put 
up the balance, and we were all ready to turn, when down 
the cabin rushed a woman squealing like a stuck pig. 
Adam looked up, and the little woman grabbed the dried- 
up old man and shouted : 

" Where's my money? Give me my money?" 

Of course such a commotion aroused all the passengers 
on the boat, who were anxious to see what the trouble was. 
I got the old lady to one side, and when she cooled off a 
little, she said that she had $400 in her dress pocket and 
had lain down to sleep ; that when she awoke she found her 
money gone, and knew no one had taken it but her hus- 
band, as he had done such a trick before. 

" I knew he was gambling," she said. 

Adam counted out the $400 and handed it back to the 
old man, and said : 

" That settles it. I won't take the bet." 

Somebody turned the card for the balance, and, of 
course, Adam won. 

At another time a man lost a few hundred dollars and 
then went back and got the keys of his wife's trunk, and, 
securing some jewelry and a fine shawl, sold them to a pas- 
senger, and receiving the money came around and lost it. 
After the game was all over I learned of the occurrence, 
and going to the party who had purchased the goods I 
made him disgorge, and paid him what he paid for them. 
Taking the goods and wrapping them up in a paper, I 
handed them to the lady, at the same time I advised her to 
keep her keys from her husband, and have no doubt she 
was very grateful to me for it, for she seemed to be. I did 
not want the lady to lose her jewelry and shawl, for I have 
noticed that a man who will gamble away all his money, 
and then steal his wife's money, jewelry, or clothes to raise 
a stake, is not the man to replace what he has stolen, in 
any great hurry. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI, 



COLD STEEL. 



271 



We got aboard of Captain Charles Blunt's boat at 
Omaha, Neb., bound for St. Louis, Mo. We played 
our games during the trip, without anything of notice oc- 
curring until we made a landing at a wood station, about 
twenty miles above St. Joseph, Mo. It was a lonely place 
in the woods, with nothing but long wood-piles to make it 
a desirable place to stop over night at. There had been 
some trouble between the deck-hands, who were mostly 
Irishmen, and some of the officers of the boat. So the 
former chose this lonely spot to settle the matter. After 
loading the wood they all armed themselves with clubs and 
bowlders, and took possession of the stairway, swearing that 
no man should come down on deck or let go the line until 
their wrongs were righted. Captain Blunt was a brave 
man, and did not like to be forced to do anything against 
his own free will ; but he did not know just how to manage 
those fellows, for they were a bad crowd, and had the ad- 
vantage of him in numbers ; besides he had no arms on 
board except a few pistols, and he knew that an Irishman 
did not fear gunpowder. Finally I said to the Captain : 

" If you will take my advice, we can soon run those fel- 
lows ashore, and then we can cut the line and leave them." 

He asked me what I would do, so I told him to get all 
the butcher knives in the kitchen, and everything else on 
board that would cut, or looked like it would, and arm the 
officers and passengers, and we would charge down the 
steps on to the fellows. 

He thought it a good plan, so we were soon ready. I 
wanted the largest knife, telling the Captain I would lead 
if he would let me have it. He wanted the glory of lead- 
ing the attack himself, so I had hard work to get the 
largest one ; but I did get one about fifteen inches long. 
We all rushed out of the cabin and down the steps with a 
war-whoop, and before the deck-hands had time to rally, 



272 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

we were onto them, cutting right and left. We did not 
want to kill; we only wanted to scare them. I got a lick 
on the head ; it did not hurt, but it made me mad, and I 
cut two or three fellows across the part that they sit down 
on, and they began to yell cold steel, and made a rush for 
the plank. The others followed, and were in such a hurry 
they did not take time to find the plank, but jumped over- 
board and waded out. Some one cut the line, and we were 
soon awa)'^ from shore. The Captain told the pilot to hold 
the boat, and then he told the deck-hands if they would 
come on board and behave themselves he would take them 
to St. Joseph. They promised they would not raise any 
more disturbance, so he took them on board and we started 
on our way. 

Soon after startmg some one told the Captain that the 
deck-hands were talking about having me arrested when 
we got to St. Joseph, so he put me ashore on the opposite 
side of the river, and when he was through with his busi- 
ness at St. Joseph he came over after me and took me to 
St. Louis. We landed alongside of the steamer E^nigrant 
a short distance below St. Joseph. Captain Blunt went 
over on board and told the officers all about our gallant 
charge. My old friend, Henry Mange, who keeps a boat 
store in New Orleans, was running the bar on the E^nigrant 
at the time, and he often asks me about the war on the 
Missouri River. 

"RATTLESNAKE JACK." 

*■' Rattlesnake Jack" was about the last man I worked 
with as a partner playing three-card monte. His right 
name was Jackson McGee. He was born and raised in 
the mountains of Virgmia, and spent much of his earl}' 
life catching snakes, which he would sell to showmen, who 
gave him the name of " Rattlesnake Jack." He was over 
fifty years of age, and weighed about 160 pounds, at the 
time he and I worked together. He was a good talker, 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 273 

and had but few equals at throwing the three cards. He 
looked like the greenest sort of a backwoodsman when he 
had his " make-up" on. He was not the bravest man in 
the world, but he was not afraid of snakes, and could make 
some good big bluffs with his long six-shooter. He is now 
living in West Virginia with his family, and no one would 
think, to see him, that he used to catch rattlesnakes for a 
living, or played three-card monte with old Devol. He 
has a beautiful daughter, who is highly accomplished, and 
Jack is proud of her. 

Old Jack and I were on board of the steamer Natchez 
one Saturday night, coming out of New Orleans, and she 
had a large number of passengers on board. We did not 
see any good monte suckers, so I opened up a game of 
rouge-et-noir and did a fair business until 1 1 o'clock ; then 
I closed up and went to the bar, where I met a gentleman 
I had often seen on the packets. He knew me and my 
business, for he had seen me play monte several times. 
He invited me to join him in a drmk, and then laughingly 
said : 

" Devol, how is the old business, anyway?" 

I laughed back, saying: "Oh, it's just so-so; but let's 
take another drink." 

He accepted, and while we were drinking, old " Rattle- 
snake Jack" walked up and said to the barkeeper: 

" Mister, how much you ax fur a dram o' liquor?" 

The barkeeper told him 15 cents. 

"Fifteen cents?" says Jack. "Wall, now! Up whar 
I live you can get a dram for 5 cents ; but let's have her, 
even if she does cost 15 cents. I reckon as how it mu§t be 
perty good." 

The barkeeper set him out a small glass and a bottle. 
Jack looked at the glass, picked it up, and stuck his finger 
in it, then set it down and said : 

" Say, mister, do you call a little thing like that a 15 
cent dram o' liquor?" 

18 



2^4 FORTY YEARS A OAMBT.KR 

The barkeeper told him he did. Jack filled the glass 
full, saying : 

" Up whar 1 live they give you a tin cup when you 
take a dram." 

He pulled out a roll about the size of a "boarding- 
house pillow" to pay for the drink, and the smallest bill 
he had was $ioo. Thr.t made my friend open his eyes, 
and he whispered to me : 

" Devol, he would be a good subject for you." 

I replied, '* Yes ; and I am going to have some of that 
money before I go to bed." 

My friend then turned to Jack and said: "Old boy, 
where do you come from?" 

" I used to live in Greenups," replied Jack. 

" Where in the world is Greenups?" 

" Wall, Greenups is up nigh the Big Sandy." * 

As I was born in that part of the country, and knew 
something about the people, I asked Jack if he was one 
of those fellows who made the counterfeit half-dollars on 
the Big Sandy. He laughed and said : 

"No; but I'd spent more'n a half-bushel of 'em for 
dames afore they got on to 'em." 

I then asked Jack where he was bound for, and he 
replied : 

"Wall, you see I sold my farm up on 'Sandy' for a 
perty big pile, and pap writ me to come out whar he lives 
in Texas and buy another; so I'm just goin' out to see 
pap, and if I likes it out thar, I reckon as how I'll stay." 

My friend then asked him if he would 'not join us in a 
drink. 

" I'll jine yer in a dram ; but I'll be gol darned if you 
don't look just like a chap what dinkered me out of $i,ooo 
when I got off at Cincinnati to see the town ; but he wasn't 
so big." 

That made mj- friend laugh. He asked Jack how he 
lost his' money. 

"Wall, I'll tell yers. I went into a place whar thar 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 275 

was a big glass full of beer painted on the winder to get a 
dram, and a nice-looking chap got talking to me, and perty 
soon he asked me to have a dram along with him. Then 
another fellar what was thar, he axed us if we ever played 
Rock-mountain euchre. He had some tickets, and he 
would jumble 'em up, and then he would bet yer on 'em. 
This nice-looking chap he bet him, and he win $500. 
Wall, I just planked down m}- money, and the fellar 
win it ; but he gave me the tickets for a dram, and I'm 
goin' to take 'em out whar pap lives — but I won't tell pap 
I lost anything, fur he don't know how much I got fur my 
farm." 

My friend said, "Why, Devol, he has been playing 
three-card monte." 

I told him not to give me away, and I would gel the 
fellow to play the game for us. Then I said to old Jack : 

" What are you going to do with the tickets when you 
get out to Texas?" 

"Wall, I'm goin' to larn 'em, and when I get out to 
pap's I'll win all the money them gol-darned cow-boys hev 
got." 

"Do you think you can learn them well enough to win 
their money?" 

" Oh, yes ; I'm larnen 'em all the time, and sometimes I 
can mix 'em up so I fool myself." 

My friend thought he must help me, so he invited us 
to join him in another drink. 

Old Jack said : " Wall, I don't care if I do." 

After getting another dram into old Jack I asked him if 
he would show us the tickets. He said : 

" Yes, but you mustn't spile 'em, fur I want to keep 'cm 
perty till I git out war pap lives." 

He then pulled out a leather pouch, opened it, took out 
a handkerchief, unfolded it very carefully, and produced 
the three cards. My friend shrugged his shoulders and 
laughed. I asked old Jack to show us how he played the 
game, when he said : 



2^6 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

'* I can't show yer so good without a table." 

I told him there was a nice table in the barber shop, 
and invited him to go back. He consented, so we were 
soon in the shop seated around the table, and Jack began 
to throw the cards. My friend was very attentive, for he 
was sure I would win the old fellow's money, and he did 
not want to miss any of the fun. 

I told Jack I would bet him the drinks I could turn up 
the ticket with the boy on it. 

He said : " Wall, look here. I've got the name of 
bein' thespunkyest fellar up at Greenups'. I never 'lowed 
any man to back me down fur a dram, or two drams, 
either." 

He mixed them up ; I turned the wrong card and lost. 
Then Jack laughed so loud and long that it attracted the 
attention of everybody that was awake on the boat, and quite 
a number of gentlemen came in to see the fun. 

When Jack recovered from his big laugh, he said : 

" I knowed yer would miss it." 

I called for the drinks, and then told my friend I did 
not want to turn the right card until I could get a big bet. 

After we drank our liquor, I began bantering old Jack 
to bet me some money, but he did not want anything but 
drams. I kept on playing him, and finally he said : 

" I'll go yer once for $5, anyhow." 

I told him to put up. I turned and lost again. 

Then old Jack rolled off his chair and roared so loud 
that I was afraid he would wake up all the passengers on 
the boat. The room was soon full of people, and every one 
was crowding around to get a look at the old fool that was 
making so much noise. 

Jack ordered the drinks, saying : 

"You fellars think I haint got no sense, but I'll bet 
yer's long's I's got two kerds to yer's one." 

While old Jack was paying the barkeeper for the drams 
I put a pencil mark on the boy ticket, and my friend saw 
me do it. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 



277 



I then offered to make another bet. 

Old Jack said : ** I'll bet $10 this time." 

I told him to put up, and he did. Then I replied : 

" I will raise you $500," and I put up the amount in my 

friend's hands. 

''What's that? What yer put up $500 agin my $10 
fur?" 

My friend told him he would have to put up $500 
more, or he would lose his $10. 

" Wall, I'll be gol darned; I haint goin' to be backed 
out, fur if the boys in Greenups would hear on't thev 
wouldn't speak to me when I go back thar." 

He put up $500 more, then mixed the cards, and I 
turned the winner. Everybody roared with laughter. Old 
Jack turned around, looked at the crowd for a moment, 
then said : 

''You fellars kin laugh at me just's much as yer like, 
but I don't 'low no man to back me down." 

He then told the barkeeper to bring him a dram. 

I said to my friend: " That old fool will lose all his 
money before he gets to Texas, and I may as well have it 
as any one else." 

He replied : " Yes ; and I'm going to have some of it 
myself." 

He then insisted on making a bet. I told him to make 
a good big one, as the old fellow was getting too drunk to 
handle his cards, and he might fall over and stop the game. 

My friend then ordered the drinks, thinking, no doubt, 
that if he would treat, old Jack would bet more liberally 
with him. 

When the bystanders saw Jack take another of those 
big drams, some of them remarked : 

" Those gamblers have that old fellow so drunk they 
will win all of his money before they let him go. It's a 
shame, and we ought to stop it." 

My friend offered to bet $500, when old Jack said : 

" Boy's, I'm drinking, and I don't care, fur m}' spunk's 



278 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

up, and I'd just's soon bet her all the first bet ; them tarnal 
fellers guzzled me out of $1,000 in Cincinnater, and I wants 
ter get even." So sayin^^ he pulled out his big roll, 
slammed it down on the table, and said : 

"Thar's my pile, and you fellars darn't cover her." 

" I whispered to my friend, telling him that now was 
the time. • Then I asked Jack how much he had in the roll. 
He said : 

" Wall, I don't know ; I had $7,000 when I left Green- 
ups, and I lost $1,000 in Cincinnater and what yer win just 
now, so I reckon I've got nigh onto $6,000." 

I requested one of the bystanders to count the money, 
which he did, and found it to be just $5,500. My friend 
had $3,400, and I put up the balance. 

I told him to turn the card, as he had up the most. 

Old Jack mixed them up, but he was so drunk he could 
hardly pick up a card. My friend could hardly wait for 
Jack to say ready before he dove in and grabbed the one 
with the spot on it, but when he turned it over he saw it 
was not the one with the boy on it. 

Old Jack snatched the money from the gentleman that 
was holding stakes, and shoved it down into his pockets. 
Then turning to the crowd, he said : 

" Wall, wliy don't yer's laugh now?" 

They did laugh, for most of them felt like it. Old Jack 
joined in, and laughed louder than any of them, and then 
turning around to the table, he began looking for his 
precious tickets. He had put them in his pocket without 
any one seeing him, but pretended he was ruined if he could 
not find them. I told him the barkeeper had some just like 
them, and I would go and get them for him. That quieted 
him down, and he said : 

" Wall, if I kin get t'others I don't care, fur I wanted 
to show 'em to pap when I gets out thar in Texas." 

I went to the bar, as though I had gone for the cards 
and returned with them. Old Jack laughed when he saw 
them, saying: 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 279 

"Wall, I be gol- darned if they haint just like 
t'others." 

I gave Jack the new set, but I turned up a corner on the 
boy card so every one could see it. Then I told him to 
mix them up, and I would make him a bet of a $i ,000. 
We put up the money ; I turned and won. Then the by- 
standers began to take more interest in the game than ever, 
and the fun began again. One fat gentleman crowded in 
and wanted to bet. I said : 

" Boys, let us make up a pony purse, and we will all 
bet on the same card. My friend wanted to get into the 
same party, but did not have any ready cash, so he asked 
me for a loan, offering his watch and diamond as security. 
I let him have $1,000, which he put up. The fat gent put 
up $1,300, and another man put in $400. I put up $1,000, 
which made the purse $3,700. Old Jack was very drunk, 
but he got up his money someway, and then began to mix. 
We picked on the fat gentleman to do the turning. He 
took his time, as most fat men do, but when he turned the 
card it was the wrong one, so we all lost our money. Just 
then some one yelled out : 

" Sold again and got the money." 

That broke up the little game, and old Jack said ; 

"Boys, come and take a dram with me, and then I'll 
go to bed." 

We all went to the bar, and when Jack took hi« big 
dram I noticed that he drank out of a different bottle from 
the rest of us. He then went to his room, and in a short 
time I went to look for him, but I did not find him in his 
room. He was up in the texas eating up the officers' lunch. 

My friend said he would send me the money to redeem 
his jewelry by the barkeeper the next trip. As I had 
downed him for $3,400 in cash I gave him his jewelry on 
his promise. He did not keep it, and well I knew he would 
not. The next time I met him he said nothing about the 
$1,000, so I told him he did not owe me anything, as I got 
one-hair of what he lost, and that I had sent out West and 



28o FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

got "Rattlesnake Jack" on purpose to down him at the old 
game that he knew so well. That made him mad, and he 
would never speak to me after that, and that nearly broke 
my heart. 

"SHORT STOPS." 

McGowley, "Rattlesnake Jack," and myself were on 
the Morgan Railroad, going out from New Orleans. 

I occupied a seat beside an old gent from Iowa, on his 
way to Texas to buy a farm. 

The conductor was on to our racket, and would not give 
us a show. 

We had to wait for a change of conductors before we 
could open up for business. 

I gave old Jack the office to come up, which he did, 
looking like a Texas ranchman. 

The cow-boy had been to New Orleans to sell his crit- 
ters, and wanted a dram. 

The old gent did not drink, nor did I — just then. 

The cow-boy had been pranking with a new game, had 
lost $i,ooo, but had plenty more left. He showed us how 
he had lost his money. 

I bent up a corner of the winning card and won a few 
hundred dollars. McGowley, not knowing anything about 
the corner of the winner being turned up, lost a few hun- 
dred dollars. 

The old gent knew all about the corner and how I won. 
He wanted to bet, but his money was sewed up in his 
shirt. 

I had a sharp knife that I loaned him. 

He cut his shirt and got out his money. 

The cow-boy would bet his pile, amounting to $10,000, 
against the old gent's pile. 

I would bet with him if I was the old gent, for he had 
but $4,600. 

The money was put up. The card was turned. The 
old gent lost. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 28 1 

The cow-boy bet another man $200 and won, then asked 
him for a dram out of his bottle. 

I had an idea that my wife wanted me to come back 
and see her in the Texas sleeper. I would return as soon 
as I learned how her headache was. 

A station was reached. I got off. Looking after the 
receding train, I saw two men drop off; they walked back 
to the station. McGowley, Rattlesnake Jack, and myself 
waited for the next train to New Orleans, with $4,800 more^ 
than we had a few hours previous. 

We were on the train going in to New Orleans, Old 
Jack occupied a seat just behind a lady and gentleman. 

The lady had something lying in her lap about the size 
of an infant, covered with a shawl. Whatever it was, she 
was very careful of it. 

McCowley and I were seated across the aisle, near by. 

Jack was telling the lady and gentleman some very 
interesting story. He showed them three tickets. He 
threw them over each other on the seat beside him. 

The lady gave the gentleman some money, which he 
laid over on the seat where Jack was throwing the tickets. 
He reached over and turned one of the tickets. 

Jack put the money in his pocket. 

The lady gave the gentleman more money. 

He laid it in the same place as before. He turned one 
of the tickets the same as before. 

Jack put the money in his pocket the same as before. 

The lady talked to the gentleman in very angry tones. 
She talked to Jack very pleasantly. She took out more 
money and offered to lay it on the seat where the gentle- 
man had laid the money before. 

Jack would not let a lady put money down. 

The lady uncovered the something she had lying in her 
lap. She showed it to Jack. They talked about it. She 
got up and called me over to hold it. 

Jack gave me $100 to hold. He threw the tickets. 

The lady reached over and turned one of them. She 



282 FORTY YEARS A (:;AMBLER 

threw up both hands and said; " Mercy on me! What 
shall I do? I have lost my dear Tommy." 

I handed Jack the $100 and the twelve-pound Tommy. 

The passengers all roared with laughter. 

The lady scolded her hubby very badly. She cried, 
sobbed, and wrung her hands, saying: "I have lost my 
Tommy ! Oh, my dear Tommy, Tommy ; I will never see 
you any more !" 

Jack could stand it no longer. He handed his Thomas 
cat over to the lady. 

First she smiled, then she laughed, and then she said : 
" Hubby, get out your bottle and give this dear, good, nice 
gentleman a drink.'' 

The passengers all roared again. 

Jack took a drink. The train rolled into the depot. 
We all bid the lady and gentleman and "Tommy" good- 
bye, and got off. " Selah." 

KICKERS. 

All men that bet should not be classed as gamblers, for 
some things that style themselves 7nen will bet (to win, of 
course), and kick if they lose, which a gambler will never 
do, although he may sometimes be sucker enough to bet 
(to win) against a sure thing, like old monte or a brace 
game. 

A kicker, or squealer, always speaks of the money he 
has lost, against any game, as his money ; while the gam- 
bler considers the money he loses, against any game, as 
lost ; and it belongs to the person who won it, and you 
never hear one of them do any kicking. 

" Old Rattlesnake " and I left New Orleans one evening 
on the steamer Robert E. Lee. 

We played the good old game in the usual way, and 
caught quite a number of good sized suckers, among which 
was one from St. Joseph, La. We got off at Baton Rouge, 
and took another boat back to New Orleans. The next 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 283 

trip we made on the Lee we learned from my old friend 
Carnahan, the steward, that the St. Joseph sucker, whom we 
had downed on the last trip, made a big kick when he 
learned that we had left the boat at Baton Rouge. He said 
he would get a lot of the St. Joseph boys, go back to where 
we got off, and make us give up his money, or he would 
kill us. 

The steward told him not to do it, for said he :; 

*' Those fellows are bad men to fool with. I have seen 
twenty suckers try to make them give up, but I never saw 
them do it." 

As we were not within miles of this kicker, who, I have 
no doubt, styled himself a man, of course he could do a 
great deal of blowing ; but when a short time afterwards we 
met him with a lot of St. Joseph boys at his back, we could 
not get within speaking distance of him. I was glad of it, 
as they were a bad crowd. 

Old Carnahan and I were cabin boys on the same boat 
before the Mexican war. He is dead now, but I shall 
always remember him for telling the kicker, "-Those fellows 
are bad men to fool with." 

Old Jack and I traveled North during the summer sea- 
son, playing the boats and railroad trains 

We were going out of Detroit, Mich., on the Great 
Western Railroad, over into Ontario, one night, when there 
was quite a number of half-breed (French and Irish) Cana- 
dians on board. They had six or seren bull-dogs with 
them that had been fighting against some dogs in Detroit, 
and from their talk we learned that they had downed Uncle 
Sam, So we thought (as we were Americans) that we 
would try and down them ; not with bull-dogs, but with the 
good old game. 

Jack was soon among them, and in a short time, with 
my assistance as capper, he had downed several of the 
Canucks for a few hundred. They were kickers from the 
old house. They all got together and began cackling like 
a lot of old hens when a hawk is after them. No one but 



284 FOKTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

themselves could understand a word they said ; but they 
soon made a rush for old Jack and demanded, in English, 
that he give up their money, or they would kill him. Their 
bull-dogs wanted to take part in the fight, and I guess they 
would have done it if it had not been for their owners, for if 
a dog's master runs he will be sure to run after him. Old 
Jack whipped out that big, long six-shooter of his, and the 
instant they saw it they all started and made a regular 
stampede for the other car. The dogs took after their 
masters, and it was fun to see the passengers climbing upon 
the seats The men and the dogs rushed into the ladies' 
car, and you would have thought it was on fire if you had 
heard the screams and yells that the passengers set up 
when the men and bull dogs rushed in among them. The 
poor dumb brutes were frightened as much as their owners, 

and they set up the d d howl I ever heard in all my life. 

We were just nearing a station, so I told old Jack to drop 
off, which he did, and then he got onto the hind sleeper. 
The people at the station had heard the screams, and came 
running to see what was the matter. 

The railroad boys had hard work to get the dogs and 
men out of the ladies' car, but they could not get one of the 
dogs back into the cars he had been run out of. I did not 
blame the brutes much, for they had been badly frightened. 

We were coming out of Chicago at one time on the 
Burhngton & Q^iincy Railroad, and had downed some 
suckers, when one of them began to kick like a bad mule. 
He told the conductor that old Jack had robbed him out of 
his money. The conductor told him he could do nothing 
except turn the gambler over to the police at the next sta- 
tion. He locked the doors to keep Jack from jumping off, 
and the sucker quieted down, thinking he would be O. K. 
when he reached the station. I saw two gentlemen from 
Qviincy in the car that I was acquainted with, so I wrote a 
note to them, requesting that they tell the kicker he was in 
the same' boat with the gambler, as he would be fined just 
as much as the man who got his money, and that the fine 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 285 

in Illinois was $ioo. The result was the fellow hid him- 
self, and when the conductor pointed old Jack out he could 
not find the kicker. We got off with the officers, and as 
no one was on hand to testify, of course we only had to 
treat until the next train arrive 



WILLIAM JONES. (CANADA BILL.) 

Canada Bill — peace to his ashes — is dead. He died in 
Reading, Penn., about ten years ago, and, poor fellow, he 
did not leave enough money of all the many thousands he 
had won to bury him. Tlie Mayor of Reading had him 
decently interred, and when his friends in Chicago learned 
the fact, they raised money enough to pay all the funeral 
expenses and erect a monument to the memory of one who 
was, while living, a friend to the poor. I was in New 
Orleans at the time of his death, and did not hear the sad 
news for some months after. 

I hope the old fellow is happy in a better land. If kind 
acts and a generous heart can atone for the sin of gambling, 
and entitle men to a mansion in the skies, Canada Bill 
surely got one, "where the wicked cease from troubling, 
and the weary are at rest." 

There never lived a better hearted man. He was 
liberal to a fault. I have known him to turn back when we 
were on the street and give to- some poor object we had 
passed. Many a time I have seen him walk up to a Sister 
of Charity and make her a present of as much as $50, and 
when we would speak of it, he would say : 

" Well, George, they do a great deal for the poor, and 
I think they know better how to use the money than I do." 

Once I saw him win $200 from a man, and shortly 
after his little boy came running down the cabin. Bill 
called the boy up and handed him the $200 and told him to 
give it to his mother. 

He was a man, take him for all in all, that possessed 
many laudable traits of character. He often said suckers 



286 FORTY YEARS A (iAMBLER 

had no business with money. He had some peculiar traits. 
While he was a great man at monte, he was a fool at short 
cards. I have known men who knew this to travel all over 
the country after Bill, trying to induce him to play cards 
with them. He would do it, and that is what kept him poor. 

Mason Long, the converted gambler, says of William 
Jones (Canada Bill) : 

"The confidence men and monte players were in 
clover. Among them was the most notorious and success- 
ful thief Yfho ever operated in this country, Canada Bill. 
He was a large man, with a nose highly illuTninated by the 
joint action of whisky and heat. Bill squandered his 
money very lavishly, and di-ank himself to death in about 
a year after the incident I have related. He died a pauper.'' 

" But by all thy nature's weakness, 
Hidden faults and follies know, 
Be thou, in rebuking evil, 
Conscious of thine own." 

Is Mason Long converted? God and himself only know. 

Was ho fully converted when he wrote " The Converted 
Gambler"? 

If the Bible be true, and it was left for me to decide, I 
would answer in the language of St. Paul : 

" Though I speak with the tongues of men and of an- 
gels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass 
or a tmkling cymbal." 

A true Christian will exercise charity toward all offend- 
ers, granting a boon of pity to the erring, and cast a 
glance of mercy upon the faults of his fellows. He will 
cherish a recollection of his virtues, and bury all his im- 
perfections. 

Is Mason Long a true Christian? Read his description 
of Canada Bill. Then read a true description of Bill's per^ 
sonal appearance on page 190 in this book. If Mason Long 
had never seen Canada Bill, I would excuse him, but he 
said he capped for him once, or at least he tried to do so. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 287 

Has he shown any Christian charity in speaking of a 
man in his grave? Read what he says, and you will see 
that he or I are mistaken. 

Bill was not a thief, he was honest to a fault. He was 
not a large man, for he never weighed over 130. He did 
not have a nose highly illuminated by the joint action of 
whisky and heat. He did not drink himself to death 
within a year of 1876, lor he visited me in New Orleans in 
1877. He did not drink whisky at all. His great drink 
was Christian cider, and it was very seldom I could get 
him to drink wine. He did die a pauper, and God 
bless him for it, for he gave more money to the poor than a 
thousand professed Christians that I know, who make a great 
parade of their reformation. 

The public put all sporting men into one. class, called 
gamblers ; likewise they put all church members into classes 
and call them Christians, etc. 

There is as wide a difference between a true gambler 
and one who styles himself a sport, as there is between a 
true Christian and one who puts on the cloak of Christianity 
to serve the devil in. 

There is an old saying, " Honor among thieves." I 
will add a maxim or two : There is honor among gam- 
blers, and dishonor among some business men that stand 
very high in the community in which they live. 

THE TWO JUDGES. 

" He can not e'en essay to walk sedate, 
But in his very gait one sees a jest 
That's ready to break out in spite of all 
His seeming." 

Some years ago Judge Smith was upon the bench of the 
Police Court at New Orleans, and during the time Judge 
Wilson occupied the same position at Cincinnati. 

Judge Smith made a trip to the North one summer, and 
stopped at Cincinnati for a few days on his way home. 

While in the Q^ieen City he formed the acquaintance of 



288 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLMi 

Judge Moses F. Wilson, and as he was in the " thin y- 
fifty " business like himself, he felt as though they w(;re 
somewhat akin. 

Judge Smith was very fond of a joke, and when he met 
Mose Wilson, he met a good-humored man, who had a 
fondness for " gags," and was ever joking. 

These kindred spirits were soon well pleased with each 
other. Wilson felt that the duty of entertaining a fellow 
Judge from a sister city was incumbent upon him, and he 
just spread himself to do it. 

They had a right royal good time together, but all 
things must come to an end some time, and the time had 
come forjudge Smith to tear himself away and return once 
more to the field of his labor. They bid each other an 
affectionate good-bye, but not until after Mose had prom- 
ised Smith to visit him the next winter, and stay forever- 
more. Judge Smith was at the depot. His baggage was 
on board, and he was just stepping upon the platform, 
when two gentlemen stepped up, and one of them said : 

" We want you," at the same time displaying his police 
badge. 

" What for?" inquired Smith. 

" Suspicion," replied the officer. 

"Gentlemen, you are mistaken; I am Judge of the 
Police Court of New Orleans." 

"Oh! you are? Well, we never arrest a fellow like 
you that he is not a Judge, lawyer, doctor, or some big bug 
somewhere, to hear him tell it ; but you take a walk with 
us up to the chiefs office, and explain to him who and 
what you are." 

Smith saw it was of no use .rying to explain. The 
train was moving off with his baggage on board, and he was 
left (in the hands of the two officers). They marched him 
up to the chiefs office, and when they arrived everything 
seemed to be in readiness for an immediate trial ] for there 
was Judge Wilson, the prosecuting attorney, and quite a 
a numbei* of witnesses. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 289 

Smith was found guilty of desertion. The Judge fined 
him (a bottle), and ordered that he be confined within the 
city limits for one day. Smith paid the fine, but pleaded to 
be let off from the imprisonment. Judge Wilson was firm 
(for once in his life), so poor Smith had to serve out his 
lime ; but the Judge was kind enough to see that he did not 
suffer for the want of anything, and when he was set at 
liberty he was like some birds born and raised in a cage. 
They like the confinement, and when the door is open they 
will not fly away ; but frighten the bird, and away it will 
go. It was so with Smith ; he had already stayed too long. 
He got frightened and flew away to the sunny South. 

The cold blasts of winter weresweepingover the North, 
when Judge Wilson remembered his promise made to Judge 
Smith to visit him in New Orleans, and he was soon on his 
way to make his promise good, for he is a man of his 
word. 

He telegraphed Smith that he would arrive on a certain 
train, expecting, of course, that he would be received with 
a brass band, etc. 

The train on which Mose was being transported from 
the land of snow to the land of flowers was about ten miles 
from New Orleans, when it passed a northern-bound 
freight, and in a few moments two large men, with brass 
buttons on their coats, came marching into the Cincinnati 
sleeper. They came down the aisle, closely scanning the 
faces of all the male passengers. They halted at the seat 
occupied by Mose. They looked at him and then at a 
photograph they had with them. Finally one of them put 
his hand on Mose's shoulder, and said : 

" We want you's." 

The Judge took in the situation at once, for he had not 
forgotten the time he played a similar joke ; but he did not 
like the idea of all the passengers (especially as there were 
a great many ladies on board) thinking that he was under 
arrest in earnest. So he smiled one of those sweet smiles 
of his, and said : 
19 



290 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



Officers, this is all a joke. I am Judge of the Police 
Court of Cincinnati, and I am well acquainted with the Judge 
of your Court. I expected to be received in New Orleans 
with a brass band, in place of brass buttons." 

" Do yez hear that? He a Judge of the Police Court ; 
expected to be received wid a brass band. Why, he's got 
more brass than there is in twenty brass bands. He's the 
biggest thafe in the whole country. Didn't we see the 
chafe go right straight to the rogue's gallery and get his 
picture ; and did't he tell Pat and meself to come out here 
and arrest yez, and didn't we's ride on a freight train?" 

Mose saw it was no use trying to make the officers or 
passengers understand that it was a joke, so he said : 

" All right, I will go with you." 

" Of course yez will. Won't he, Pat?" 

" You bet he will," says Pat. 

The officers sat down facing him, so they could keep a 
watch on him, for they were afraid he would try to jump out 
the window. 

When the train arrived at New Orleans the officers got 
a carriage (at Mose's request), and they were driven to the 
chicle's office. 

The chief pretended not to know the Honorable Judge, 
and told him to send for his friends. He called for an offi- 
cer to take Mose down and lock him up, when in walked 
Judge Smith. Mose smiled and said : 

" Smith, I owe you one." 

Judge Smith told the chief he would be responsible for 
Mose while in the city, so he let him go. There was a 
carriage in waiting. They got in and were driven to 
Leon's restaurant, where they found a large number of 
Judge Smith's friends and a fine dinner awaiting them. 

After dinner, while we were drinking to Mose's health 
and smoking cigars, Judge Smith requested me to show our 
honored guest the baby ticket. I did, and downed him for 
a bottle, but it did not cost him a cent, for his Queen City 



ON THE .MISSISSIPPI. 2gi 

money was no good in the Crescent City so long as he re- 
mained with the Judge, for they were kindred spirits. 

TAPPED THE TILL. 

It is often said that faro banks are never broke, but I 
recall one incident that will prove the contrary. It was 
during the war, and a number of us were playing together 
at New Orleans at Charlie Bush's, my old partner. They 
were all high rollers, and when one of them, who was a 
big loser, went to get his checks cashed for a $i,ocx), the 
cashier pulled out the drawer and found that the bottom 
had been cut out, and all the money was gone. Some 
snoozer had crawled under the table, and with a sharp 
knife cut the bottom clear out. Of course the proprietors 
were very mad, but the joke was such a good one that it 
wouldn't keep. Still, in spite of all this, I had rather de- 
posit my money in faro banks than the Fidelity, of Cincin- 
nati, and I guess all honest citizens feel the same way. 

A SQJJARE GAME. 

I met a man in a saloon one night at Cincinnati. He 
was a stranger, and he inquired of me if I knew of a good, 
big poker game. I told him there no were public games 
running at that time, that most of the hotels had games, but 
they were private. We took a drink or two together, and 
he again remarked he would like a game. I invited him 
to my room, and we had a nice, square game from that 
time until morning. I won $900 from him, and as he was 
about broke I invited him to take breakfast with me. After we 
had finished breakfast and were smoking our cigars he began 
to kick. I told him if he was that kind of a man I would 
never play with him any more. I left him and went to 
bed. I got up in the afternoon and went out on the street, 
when I saw my poker friend in company with Detective 
Steve Mead. Then I knew he was a kicker, sure enough. 



29^ 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



Mead told me the chief wanted to see me, so we started for 
his office. On our way up Central Avenue we stopped to 
get a drink. I thought I could trust the good-looking bar- 
keeper, so I just threw a roll over behind the counter, and 
was then ready to see his Honor. The chief asked me if 
I won the man's money. I told him I did. 

" But," said Chief Woods, " he said you cheated him." 
I replied: "Why, chief, how could I, a man that 
knows but very little about cards, cheat an old gambler like 1 

this fellow?" 

** I'm no gambler," replied the kicker. 

The chief asked Mead what he had learned, and he said : ] 

"They were playing a square game of poker." 

" That settles it," said the chief. ■ . 

So I walked out and down to where I had left my roll. j 

The good-looking young man handed it over, and since i 

then I have always thought Billy Gruber was an honest j 

man and deserved to own two of the finest saloons in the j 

Queen City. 

A COWARD. 

I 
While in Chicago playing the bank one day I had some •! 

angry words with a fellow by the name of John Lawler, and | 

I slapped him in the lace. He did not resent it, but went ! 

out. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon I cashed in my 
checks and started to my room. I was walking down 
Clark Street, and was near the corner of Madison, when 
this fellow Lawler stepped out and began firing at me. 
The first shot would have hit me in the breast if I had not 
thrown up my arm ; as it was, it struck me on the wrist- 
bone and ran up my arm near the shoulder. After the 
coward fired he began running backward, and kept it up . 

until he had fired all six shots. I had nothing but a little 
cane, but I started after him, and just as he fired the last 
shot I struck him with my good arm and downed him. I 
was onto him, and was just getting that old head of mine 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 293 

ready when the police arrested me. There were thousands 
of people on the street, but you could not see a cop until the 
last shot was lired. The fellow was sent up for three years, 
and I signed a petition to get him oiit. I was mad when he 
shot me, and I guess I would have killed him if they had 
not taken me off; but I do not hold malice to any one, not 
even if he tries to kill me. 

I was laid up for some time with my arm. The bullet 
was cut out, and was as flat as a half-dollar. 

I went from Chicago to St. Paul to see my dear old 
mother and a sister, who were living there at that time. 

My arm is as strong as ever ; or, at least, some fellows 
who have felt it since, say so. 

REDUCED THE PRICE. 

No one knows the difficulty that a man experiences 
who, having been a gambler for a long period of years, 
suddenly resolves to change his course, lead a new life, en- 
gage in a different business, and make a new man out of 
himself. It is all very well for moralists to say that all that 
is needed is will-power. There is something else. I well 
remember once that I resolved to leave the business. It 
was when I was living at Vicksburg. I saw an opportu- 
nity to start a beer garden. I rented a house and furnished 
it up in fine style, and stocked it up with liquors and cigars. 
My friends were glad to see this course I had taken, and 
promised to encourage me. They did so, and I could not 
complain for a lack of patronage. Beer I sold at five cents 
a glass, and as everybody before had been charging ten 
cents, I soon secured a large patronage. Securing a band 
of music I opened in grand style. When the boats landed 
at the wharf the passengers and crew all came up and paid 
the garden a visit. Did I succeed in my new undertaking? 
No, of course I did not. The saloon-keepers all combined 
and kicked against me because I had reduced the price of 
beer. Two of them were members of the City Council, 



294 



FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 



and two more of the Board of Aldermen. They sent spies 
to see if I sold liquor to minors, but being unable to detect 
me they resolved that I should not have a license. I had 
taken out my United States revenue license. I was com- 
pelled to sell out at a great sacrifice, and all my efforts at 
reform were unavailing. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 

When a sucker sees a corner turned up, or a little spot 
on a card in three-card monte, he does not know that it 
was done for the purpose of making him think he has the 
advantage. He thinks, of course, the player does not see 
it, and he is in such a hurry to get out his money that he 
often cuts or tears his clothes. He feels like he is going to 
steal the money from a blind man, but he does not care. 
He will win it, and say nothing about how he did it. 
After they have put up their money and turned the card, 
they see that the mark was put there for a purpose. Then 
they are mad, because they are beat at their own game. 
They begin to kick, and want their money back, but they 
would not have thought of such a thing had they won the 
money from a blind man, for they did think he must be 
nearly blind, or he could have seen the mark on the winning 
card. They expected to rob a blind man, and got left. I 
never had any sympathy for them, and I would 
fight before I would give them back one cent. It is 
a good lesson for a dishonest man to be caught by some 
trick, and I always did like to teach it. I have had the 
right card turned on me for big money by suckers, but it 
was an accident, for they were so much excited that they 
did not get the card they were after. I have also given a 
big hand in poker to a sucker, and had him to knock the 
ginger out of me, but this would make me more careful in 
the future. I've seen suckers win a small amount, and 
then run all over the boat, telling how they downed the 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 295 

gambler ; but they were almost sure to come back and lose 
much more than they had won. 

I have often given a sucker back his money, and I have 
seen them lose it with my partner, or at some other game 
on the same boat. I have won hundreds of thousands 
from thieves who were making tracks for some other 
country to keep out of jail and to spend their ill-gotten gains. 
I enjoyed beating a man that was loaded down with stolen 
money more than any one else. I always felt as if it was 
my duty to try and keep the money in our own country . 

Young men and boys have often stood around the table 
and bothered me to bet. I would tell them to go away, that 
I did not gamble with boys. That would make some of 
the smart Alecks mad, and they would make a great deal 
of noise. So, when I was about to close up, I would take 
in the young chap. He would walk away with a good les- 
son. But when I had to win money from a boy to keep 
him quiet, I would always go to him and return the money, 
after giving him a good talking to. 

I meet good business men very often now that take me 
by the hand and remind me of when I won some money 
from them when they were boys, and returned it with a 
good lecture. I have sometimes wished I had one-tenth 
part of what I have returned to bovs and suckers, for then I 
would have enough to keep me the balance of my life. 

I had the niggers all along the coast so trained that they 
would call me " Massa " when I would get on or off a boat. 
If I was waiting at a landing I would post some old '* nig " 
what to say when I went on board, so while the passengers 
were all out on the guards and I was bidding the ** coons" 
good-bye, my " nig " would cry out : 

" Good-bye, Massa George ; I's goin' to take good care 
of the old plantation till you comes b-.ick." 

I would go on board, with one of the niggers carrying 
my saddle-bags, and those sucker passengers would think 
I was a planter sure enough ; so if a game was proposed I 
had no trouble to get into it, as all who phiy cards 



2q6 forty years a fJAMBLER 

are looking for suckers that they know have money ; and 
who in those old ante-bellum times had more money than a 
Southern planter? I have often stepped up to the bar as 
soon as I would get on board and treat every one within 
call, and when I would pay for the drinks I would pull out 
a roll that would make everybody look wild. Then I was 
sure to get into the first game that would be started, for all 
wanted a part of the planter's roll. 

I have downed planters and many good busmess men, 
who would come to me afterwards and want to stand in 
with my play ; and many are the thousands I have divided 
with them ; and yet the truly good people never class such 
men among gamblers. The world is full of such men. 
They are not brave enough to take the name, but they are 
alwa3's ready for a part of the game. A gambler's word is 
as good as his bond, and that is more than I can say of 
many business men who stand very high in a community. 
I would rather take a true gambler's word than the bond of 
many business men who are to-day counted worth thou- 
sands. The gambler will pay when he has money, which 
many good church members will not. 



ANCIENT GAMBLING. 

Hobbes, the philosopher, says man is the only animal 
that laughs. He might have appropriately added, he is the 
only animal that gambles. To gamble or venture on 
chance, his own property with the hope of winning the 
property of another is peculiar to him. 

Other animals in common with man will fight for meat, 
drink, and lodging, and will battle for love as fiercely as the 
old knights of chivalry ; but there is no well authenticated 
account that any of the lower animals ever changed any of 
their property on " odd-or-even," or drew lots for choice of 
pasturage. ' No master has ever yet taught his dog to play 
with him at casino, and even the learned pig could never 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 297 

learn what was trumps. Hence gambling is a proof of 
man's intellectual superiority. Certain it is that men, from 
the earliest ages, have been addicted to some form of 
gambling, or settling matters by chance. It was by lot 
that it was determined in Biblical days which of the goats 
should be offered to Aaron ; by lot the land of Canaan was di- 
vided ; by lot Saul was marked out for the Hebrew kingdom ; 
by lot Jonah was discovered to be the cause of the storm. 

Even in legendary days there is a pretty story that Mer- 
cury fell in love with Rhea (or the Earth), and wishing to 
do her a favor, gambled with the Moon, and won from her 
every seventieth part of the time she illumined the horizon, 
all of which parts he united together, making up five days, 
and added them to the Earth's year, which had previously 
consisted of only 360 days, and was now 365. 

There is not an age of the world, nor a people, who 
have not been gamblers. The Romans, the Greeks, the 
Asiatics — all have their games of chance. There was, in- 
deed, a period in the history of the world when gambling 
was the amusement and recreation of kings and queens, 
professional men and clergymen. Even John Wesley, the 
founder of Methodism, played cards. The Rev. Caleb C. 
Colton was one of the luckiest of gamesters. He was a 
graduate of Cambridge, and the author of '* Lacon, or 
Many Things in a Few Words." At one time in Paris he 
won $100,000. He left a large fortune, part of which he 
employed in forming a picture gallery at Paris. General 
Scott, the father-in-law of George Canning, made one of 
the largest winnings ever known. He won at White's one 
million dollars, owing to his sobriety and knowledge of the 
game of whist. 

Who loved his country more than Cato? And yet he 
was a great gambler. Guido, the painter, and Coquillart, 
a famous poet, were both inveterate gamblers. 

The great philosophers Montaigne and Descartes at an 
early age were seduced by the allurements of gambling. 

The generality of people throughout the world are of 



298 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER 

the opinion that gamblers are the worst people on the face 
of the earth. They are wrong, for I tell you there is ten 
times more rascality among men outside of the class they 
call gamblers than there is inside of it. 

Persons that the generality of people class as gamblers 
are only those who play at games of chance with cards. 
What are the members of the Board of Trade but gam- 
blers? The Board of Trade is just as much a gambling 
house as a faro bank. Do not the members put up their 
(and often times other people's) money on puts, calls, mar- 
gins, and futures? Do not some poor people have to wait a 
long time in the " future" before they get back the money 
some rascal has put up and lost? Talk about the morality 
of gamblers. They are not thieves and swindlers, and I 
never heard of one who ever served a term in the peniten- 
tiary, or was arrested for embezzling money. 



ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 299 



GEORGE— ''THE BUTTER." 

" There goes one of the most remarkable men in this 
country," said a well-known gentleman standing in front 
of the Gibson House yesterday. The person referred to 
was a stoutly-built, sandy-whiskered individual of medium 
size. He is well known to most men about town, and his 
exploits on Southern rivers might fill a book. It was 
George H. Devol. "I have known him for thirty-eight 
years," the gentleman continued, "my acquaintance with 
him having been strictly in the South. Do you know that 
physically he was for years one of the best men we had 
down there?" 

" No. Never heard that George was a fighter," added 
the reporter somewhat surprised. 

"Well, he was, and as good as they made them, too. 
I never saw him take water in my life, and personally 
know that for nineteen years they tried to find a man to 
whip him. They couldn't do it. He was a terrible rough- 
and-tumble fighter, and muny a tough citizen have I seen 
him do up. George was a great 'butter.' He could use 
his head with terrible eflfect. One night at New Orleans a 
stevedore tackled him. It was a set-up job. The steve- 
dore was a much larger man, but George got the best of it. 
During the fight the stevedore's friends stood over George 
with drawn pistols, threatening to kill him should he do 
any butting. He can kill any man living, white or black, 
by butting him. Although over fifty years of age, I don't 
believe there is a man living who can whip him. New 
Orleans sporting men will go broke on that." 

"He made considerable money in the South, didn't 
he?" 

" Yes, he has won more money than any sporting man 
in the country. He had the privileges for years on all 
boats on the Southern Mississippi. When Ben Butler took 
possession of New Orleans he confiscated all of George's 



300 FORTY YEARS A GAMBLER. 

horses and sent him to jail. That little affair cost George 
just $50,ocx). He retaliated, however, for he had not been 
released two weeks until he beat one of the General's pay- 
masters out of $19,000. It was on the Red River. I see 
he has settled down and quit sporting, and I am glad of it. 
Had he never seen a faro bank he would have been an im- 
mensely wealthy man thirty years ago. One night before 
the war I saw him lose $23,000 at one sitting. He left the 
table without enough money with which to buy a cup of 
coffee." — The Cincinnati Enquirer. 



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